Sugarcane Genetic Resources: Ex-situ conservation in Gene Bank and complimentary conservation strategies " In Prospects in Forestry and Agriculture"

Abstract

Sugarcane breeders are fortunate to have large and diverse germplasm collection maintained in Ex-situ mode of conservation in field gene bank. Being vegetatively propagated, conservation of sugarcane germplasm is laborious and the field maintenance is the most convenient option for easy utilization. One of the two world gene banks of sugarcane is maintained by Sugarcane Breeding Institute at the Research Centre located in Kannur of Kerala state. The gene bank is enriched with 3368 accessions of sugarcane germplasm including five species of Saccharum, historical and commercial hybrids of India and foreign countries and related genera like Erianthus, Miscanthus, Narenga and Sclerostachya. Complimentary strategies are being developed by looking into the feasibility/availability of technology and economics for conserving the germplasm. Some of the viable options in sugarcane germplasm conservation are in vitro conservation, cryopreservation of pollen, low temperature storage of seed and DNA preservation. In vitro conservation of meristem cultured plantlets of selected accessions are being conserved under slow growth preservation at this centre as a complimentary conservation strategy