In vitro multiplication and conservation of Saccharum germplasm

Abstract

The world collection of Sugarcane germplasm have been maintained at Sugarcane breeding institute research centre, Kannur in field gene bank. Field gene bank is always at the risk of biotic and abiotic factors and complimentary strategies need to be worked out to support the field gene bank. In vitro techniques offer different methods of conservation, and slow growth preservation is being successfully employed in many vegetatively propagated crops. In this study attempt was made to standardize optimal in vitro multiplication of different species of Saccharum and also studied to delay the sub culturing period by retarding the growth of the in vitro maintained material. It was observed that MS medium supplemented with 1mg/L kinetin and 6mg/L BAP was more effective in inducing multiple shoots from the shoot apex in most of the species studied and 2% mannitol found effective in controlling the growth.