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SUGARCANE BREEDING INSTITUTE, REGIONAL CENTRE

INTRODUCTION 

Regional Centre Karnal is the only Regional Centre of internationally famous Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) and the Centre was established in 1932 to provide support for SBI Coimbatore to evaluate the clones under sub-tropical conditions.

BRIEF HISTORY

MANDATE 

The present mandates is to 

• To evaluate the sugarcane germplasm under sub-tropical conditions and identify potential donors.
• To conduct inheritance studies in sugar -cane varietal crosses, sugar yield components, biotic, abiotic stresses in sub-tropical climatic conditions.
• To evaluate sugarcane varieties for sub-tropical conditions of the country.

·        To produce breeder seed of some elite sugarcane varieties for supplying to sugar mills/farmers.

 LIST OF PROJECTS 

Keeping in view the mandates of the Centre, the following researches are being conducted on various aspects of sugarcane 

Institutional Projects

 Project:      Breeding elite clones suitable for North Western Zone 

                    a)      Hybridization, progeny evaluation and selection: 
                    b)      Pre-Zonal Varietal Trial  
                    c)      Zonal Varietal Trial                                                       

Project :       Evaluation of sugarcane germplasm under sub-tropical conditions

                    a)      Evaluation of species clones:
                    b)      Evaluation of interspecific and intergeneric hybrid clones

Project :       AICRP on Sugarcane Pathology    

                            a)           Identification of pathotypes / races of red rot pathogen
                   b)          Survey of sugarcane diseases naturally occuring in the area
                               on  important sugarcane varieties
                   c)    Assessment – Cum- demonstration of IDM module against
                          major  diseases of the area
                   d)    Evaluation of IET / Zonal varieties for resistance to red rot
                   e)    Assessment of elite ISH clones for resistance to red rot 

Project :       Studies on physiological parameters associated with sugar accumulation under subtropical conditions     

Project :       Agronomic requirements of promising sugarcane varieties                         

Project :     Efficacy of biofertilizers on plant and ratoon crops of sugarcane under sub tropical conditions

 Revolving Fund Scheme

Project:       Breeder’s seed production of sugarcane clones 

NATP Scheme                                               

Project:     Isolation of genetic stocks for low temperature tolerance in sugarcane with a view to improve the ratoonability  during winter months in North Western Zone

ORGANISATIONAL SET UP

  ACHIEVEMENTS

 SUGARCANE  BREEDING:

 Evaluation of Germplasm :

Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Research Centre Kannur maintains the wealth of genetic material in the form of germplasm clones (3340). Out of these 1860 clones were evaluated at Karnal Centre.  

 Donors for tolerance / resistance to special environments:

Sugarcane clones have been evaluated under different stresses to identify elite clones for tolerance / resistance to such environmental conditions. The selected clones are presented in the Table below:  

  Evolving superior clones for North Western Zone:

 Ever since the inception of this Centre, the mandate had been to evolve varieties for sub‑tropical region of the country. As an out come of such intensive large scale testing over the years, a large number of Co clones/varieties were identified at this Centre and occupied a large areas in different regions of sub-tropical India.

 Sugarcane Varietal Scene over the decades in sub-tropical India: 

CoK 26: A frost resistant clone was released from this Centre, which was in cultivation in Eastern UP.

CoK 30: Red rot resistant clone was released in UP which occupied a considerable area along with CoS 510 and CoS 527 during 1951 – 60.

CoK 32: (POJ 2878 x Co 331). An early/mid season maturing variety with medium thick canes well suited to heavy soil conditions. It withstands water logging, tillers heavily and with high fibre content. It was resistant to top and stem borers and susceptible to smut. This variety was released in Bihar state and occupied a fair area in South Bihar and remained in cultivation for 16 years (1943 – 59).

CoK 41: It was resistant to frost. It was released and was in cultivation in Punjab and western UP.

Co 312: (Co 213 x Co 244). It was a late maturing variety and did well under unfavourable conditions. It was in cultivation for more than 4 decades.

Co 975: (Co 527 x Co 617). High yielding, mid season maturing variety with good ratooning ability. It withstands drought and water logging. It was resistant to red rot and albino disease. It was in cultivation in Haryana, Punjab and UP. It is used as a tester variety to identify race flora of red rot pathogen.

Co 1148: (P4383 x Co 301). It has medium thick canes with compact growth. This is resistant to frost. It was in cultivation for more than 3 decades.

Co 62399: (Co 935 x Co 617). A Karnal selection with moderate yield and good sucrose. It was moderately resistant to red rot. It was released in UP during 1976 and was under general cultivation in different zones of the state. It is used as a parent and tester variety to identify race flora of red rot pathogen.

Co 7314: (Co 1287 self). An early maturing variety was released in Haryana state for commercial cultivation. It is having medium thick cane and long internodes of greenish yellow colour. Resistant to top borer, stalk borer and red rot. It has been utilised in hybridisation programmes for getting red rot resistant progenies.

Co 7717: (Co 419 x Co 775). A good sugared variety with heavy yield. This variety recorded 19 % sucrose and 87t/ha yield under Karnal conditions. It was moderately resistant to red rot, Pyrilla and local borers. It is still under cultivation in western Haryana.

 Co 89003 (Co7314 x Co 775):
Co 89003 an early maturing clones was released for commercial cultivation in states of Punjab and Haryana. It is resistant to red rot disease. However, it is susceptible to wilt disease especially when infested with root borer/termites

 Co 98014  (Co 8316 x Co 8213) :
Co 98014 an early maturing clone is recommended for cultivation in Punjab state. This variety showed significant improvement in cane yield over CoJ 64. However, this variety was on par with CoJ 64 for juice quality traits

Clones under testing:

Co 98014, Co 98015, Co 0116, Co 0117, Co 0118, Co 0120, Co 0237, Co 0238, Co 0239, Co 0316 early clones and Co 97009, Co 97014, Co 97015, Co 97016, Co 97017, Co 98016, Co 98017, Co 98017, Co 99015, Co 99016, Co 0121, Co 0122, Co 0123, Co 0124, Co 0240, Co 0241, Co 0331 midlate clones are under different stages of testing in AICRP(S).  

Varieties suitable for ethanol production

 Co 7717 gave the best yield of 8050 litres /ha as compared to 6718 litres/ha from CoJ 64.
Best time of harvest for realizing the maximum ethanol yield/ha was January in autumn sown crop while it was March in April planted crop.
Co 7717 gave the highest dry bio-mass and energy out put of 165.4 x 10 6 K Cal/ha. From ethanol 45.3 x 106 K Cal/ha energy out put was obtained.

Varieties suitable for Jaggery Quality

In early group, Co 8204 and Co 8209 had better quality than CoJ 64
In mid late and late group, Co 7501, Co 7915, Co 8014, Co 8224 and Co 8347 gave good quality jaggery and were equal in quality to Co 7717.

Varieties suitable for high fibre production

Fibre content more than 13.5 % were found in the following clones:
Co 87263, Co 98014, CoS 767, CoLk 8102

 Breeder Seed Production:

Quality seed of improved varieties is being produced in 10 acres of land. Indents are being asked during the month of December each year from sugar mills in Haryana, Punjab, and Western UP. Sugar mills send their requirements up to 31st  January each year. On the basis of indents received, the seed is multiplied and supplied to sugar mills and farmers on the recommendation of sugar mills. During last five years, we have supplied 14,679.33q of quality seed to sugar mills and farmers in North Western Zone.

Winter Ratoonability :

Generally high sugared clones are harvested during winter month when temperature is low. Winter ratoonability is of paramount importance to evaluate the newer clone to sustain sugar and cane yield.

Water management:

Studies on use sodic water for irrigation showed that ridge and furrow planting coupled with gypsum application (50 % neutralization of sodic water) gave significantly higher cane yield and better juice quality than conventional planting of sugarcane without amendment application. 

Simultaneous planting of wheat and sugarcane :

 Results on cane equivalent yields indicated that simultaneous  planting of wheat+ Sugarcane planted in December gave higher value than sequential plantings in May and total return from simultaneous planting was 24.5 % higher as compared to highest return obtained in conventional planting of sugarcane after wheat harvest. 

Nitrogen and Phosphorous saving through Bio-fertilizers : 

• It was observed that 75 % dose of  N& P with Azospirillum + PSB  or Azotobacter + PSB recorded cane yield at par to  100 % recommended dose of  N ( 150 kg/ha)& P ( 50 kg /.ha) applied through inorganic fertilizers only.  Cane yield was 83.8 t/ha in Azospirillum + PSB and 79.2 t/ha in Azotobacter + PSB in comparison to 83.2 t/ha recorded with 100 % N& P through inorganic fertilizers.
• Azospirillum , Azotobacter or Acetobacter were found equally effective         
• Juice quality was not significantly altered by using bio-fertilizers.

SUGARCANE PHYSIOLOGY:

 Physiology of Sugarcane Under saline Conditions:   

·        Sugarcane is moderately resistant to saline conditions.  Sett bud germination is most resistant but its following growth is the most sensitive phase in the life of sugarcane plant.  Development of two or more fully expanded leaves on a plant makes it resistant to salinity. 

·        Sodium and Cl concentration is minimum in the root tip and keeps on increasing we go up to about 6 cm and then not much change there after unless some morphological changes occur in the roots due to aging.

·        Sodium is far lower than Cl in sugarcane under normal as well as saline conditions. Na entering the shoot is preferentially retained by the basal stem and Na and Cl ions are directed towards the older leaves thus keeping the young photosynthetic tissues relatively free from the toxic build up of these ions mainly responsible for salinization. 

·        Thus sugarcane plants have been observed to recover (in terms of leaf elongation rates) from adverse effect of salinity with 2-3 hours of desalinization of the media.  Sugars, accumulated due to salinity in the growing tissues is utilized in growth within 2-3 hours of desalinization. Rates of photosynthesis have been observed to start recovering with in 45 minutes of desalinization.  Ionic factors do not appear to be involved in the young shoot tissues of sugarcane. 

Rapid Screening Parameters For Salt Stress:   

Leaf/shoot elongation rate is the most sensitive non-destructive parameter affected by salinity which may be used along with rates of accumulation of Na and Cl in the oldest leaf by 7 days after salinization to screen sugarcane clones for their relative salt resistance.

Agro-technology To Improve Germination Under Saline Conditions: 

Experiments conducted at the SBI, RC, Karnal using Co-1148 and Co-7717 have shown that furrow method of planting is helpful in improving germination, growth, tillering and hence yields of sugarcane as compared to traditional flat planting method being followed by the farmers of this region.  The effects of furrow method of planting were more spectacular under saline conditions. 

Sett soaking for a day before planting was able to lead to quicker, uniform and improved germination under delayed typical summer planting conditions.

Work on the Physiology of various sugarcane clones:   

Work is being conducted on the contribution of various physiological characters in determining the performance of plant crops of 12 sugarcane clones over different seasons. 

·        During the crop season 2003-04, CoJ 64 had the minimum leaf length and breadth but next to the minimum of chlorophyll at 105 days after planting (DAP). Chlorophyll content decreased during winter months and was minimum in Co 89003/Co 0120 & maximum in Co 98016.

·        With the onset and advance of winter, number of green leaves decreased in all the clones. Number ranged from a minimum of 4 in Co 0120 to a maximum of 10 in CoJ 64 during winter months.

·        Rates of photosynthesis in November 2003 ranged from an average of 6.0 in Co 1148 to 10.7mmol m-2 s-1 in Co 0120.  Higher rates of photosynthesis of Co 0120 may be one of the factors responsible for its being quite early maturing nature in spite of minimum of leaf area.

·        Juice analysis was performed during 3rd week of every month. A comparison of data for 2002-03 and 2003-04 crop seasons for 11 common clones showed that average brix and sucrose % juice were higher by 2.6 % whereas purity was higher by 5 % in October 3rd week during this season over what it was last season.  However, the sucrose % in Nov and Dec were higher by 0.9 and 0.6 % and purity by 4.7 and 2.8% respectively over that last season. All the clones except Co 0120 and Co 98016 had higher values for sucrose % juice during Oct 3rd week this season over last season, Co 1148 contributing to a maximum of 4.8% to an over all increase of 2.6%. Cooler nights prior to sampling during Oct 2003 might be responsible for higher sucrose and purity this season than last season.  Co 0120 was the best again in October and Co 0119 in Dec in terms of juice quality.

·        Foggy weather conditions over a period of a months or so during Dec/Jan 2002-03 and 2003-04 expressed itself in terms of hardly any effect on brix, sucrose and purity % juice values (average of 12 clones) in Dec and Jan. However, brix, sucrose and purity % juice continued to increase in all the clones there after with age and the values were either better or comparable during this season compared to last season. All the midlate or late maturing clones had more sucrose % juice by 1 to 3 units (except for Co 97017 having comparable levels) in March 3rd week this season compared to last season. 

·        Sucrose % in cane, an index of likely recovery, in Co 0120 was way ahead of others during October 3rd week last season but was even behind CoJ 64 this season.  Co 89003, which was not there in the 12 clones last season was the best in Nov and Dec during this season and was amongst the top three along with CoJ 64 till March. Average Sucrose % in cane kept on improving from 6.5 (which was around 5% during last crop season) in Oct to 9.9 % in March with maximum improvement of 1.3 % between Jan-Feb followed by 1.0% during Oct-Nov.  However, the improvement during last crop season was the maximum between Oct-Nov and was around 2%. 

SUGARCANE PATHOLOGY : 

Major diseases of Sugarcane :

·                    Fungal diseases
        Red rot, Smut, Wilt, Eye spot, Yellow spot, Brown spot, Pine apple, Banded scletioal and Pokkah boeng

·       Bacterial diseases
    Ratoon stunting, Leaf scald and Red stripe.

            * Germplasm / genotypes / clones of sugarcane were evaluated for red rot resistance.
            *Other major thrust has been given on the following aspects of red rot disease-
            *Evaluation of pre and zonal genotypes, inheritance of resistance for red rot :- 
        Use of resistance parents in crossing resulted more number of resistant Seedling.
·   Identification of physiological races of red rot pathogen-
  Six races of red rot pathogen were identified from this zone i.e CF 01 (1148 )CF 02 ( Co7717),CF 03 ( CoJ 64),CF 07(CoJ 64 ),CF 08 ( CoJ84 / CoJ 64 ) and CF 09 (CoS 767 ).
·    Biological and integrated disease management system  

Following steps are necessary to manage the red rot at below economic injury Level 

·                    Seed programme for production of healthy disease free seeds ( with the help of heat therapy )

·                    Varietal  balance: A variety should not occupy more than 15 to 25% area.

·                    Cropping system;-Inter cropping of onion, garlic, linseed with sugarcane helpful to reduce disease incidence.

·                    Crop rotation:-Crop rotation with paddy, onion garlic ,linseed and green manure crops helpful to reduce red rot inoculum.

·                    Regular monitoring and rouging of sugarcane crop ;-  Strict monitoring should be kept on the build up of red rot infection in crop from April to July. Infected shoots / clumps as and when detected should be rogued out and 5-10 grams bleaching powder ( contains free chlorine ) should be applied to each spot followed by covering with soil in order to disinfect the site for left over inoculum.

·                    Field hygiene;- Sugarcane stubbles, dry foliage, dead and dry canes should be burnt.

·                    Drainage in field:-Water logging is known to predispose the plant to red rot infecation. To avoid this upland fields should be selected as far as possible.

·                    Resistance varieties :- Cultivation of resistant variety in the easiest way to combat the disease. Some resistant varieties i.e CoS 8436, Co 89003, Co 98014, Co 98016, Co 0117, Co 0118, Co 0237, Co 0238, Co 0239, CoH 119, CoPt 94211 and CoS 97264. 

Wilt Disease: 

Wilt disease of sugarcane is one of the distructive disease of Sugarcane in Punjab, Haryana, Utter Pardesh, Bihar , Gujarat, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh.

The wilt disease  adversely affect the germination. Intensity of infection  by wilt pathogen in seed cane has direct impact on bud germination, root development tillers and cane formation.                

Economic losses are computed based on quantum of cane dried found at the time of harvest may vary from 2 to 20 tones per hectare. Mill test showed sugar recovery to be lower  by 9.9 % when the crop crushed had 6% wilt incidence.  

     Wilt infection is generally associated wilt root borer infestation. 

Sett treatment with boric acid 0.2% plus Trichoderma viride and soil application  of neem cake  1.5 – 2.0 Q/ acre along with  earthing up  showed reduction in wilt –root borer infestation.

Sugarcane Entomology:

 About 200 species of insects have been reported as damaging sugarcane crop in India. Out of these, about two dozen species of insects are considered as major pests. According to the site and mode of feeding the insect pests of sugarcane can be grouped into the following four categories: 

1. Subterranean pests – termites and white grubs.
2. Internal feeders or borers – shoot borer, stalk borer, top borer, root borer etc.
3. Sucking pests – Pyrilla, white flies, agied bugs, scale insect and mealy bugs etc.
4. Defoliators – grass hoppers, armyworms and weevils etc.

These pests could be controlled by following measures:

5. Growing resistant varieties.
6. Cultural methods.
7. Chemical methods.
8. Biological control.
9. Integrated pest management (IPM).

LOCATION SPECIFIC/ADAPTIVE TRIALS :       

Under the Institute Industry Interface Programme, varietal evaluation trials are being conducted at sugar factory farms  to identify location specific varieties. Following trials are being conducted at sugar mills:  

(A)      Evaluation and identification of varieties suited to specific locations of
           selected  sugar factory areas
(B)      Varietal trial for identifying high sucrose cane with disease resistant.
(C)     Identification of varieties suitable for water logging condition. 
(D)     Management of red rot disease.                                                           

 TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY 

In order to study the productivity and profitability under simultaneous planting of wheat and sugarcane  (December /January) as compared to sequential planting of sugarcane after wheat harvest in the end of April/ May, a multi location trials were conducted at the following sugar factory farms 

Haryana : Coop. Sugar Mills, Jind and Coop. Sugar Mills, Meham,

Punjab:    Coop. Sugar Mills,Jagraon,

UP:          Daurala Sugar Works, Meerut and Simbhaoli Sugar Mills,  Distt. Ghaziabad 

For further details, any one can contact the Principal Scientist & Head or any of the Principal/ Senior Scientists at the following address: 

Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Regional Centre
Agarsein Marg, Opp. PWD colony
Post Box No. 52, Karnal – 132 001
Ph: 0184-2268096
    : 0184-2265567 EPBX Extn 1-35
Fax: 0184-2265723
Gram: IKSHU, Karnal
E-mail:  bksahi.@Yahoo.co.In.