EVALVAnON OF FLOWERING TYPE SACCHARUM OFFICINARUM CLONES

Abstract

Saccharum officinarum is the most important cultivated species as it is
the source of genes for sucrose accumulation and low fibre content. The
species was under extensive cultivation in all major sugarcane growing
countriesbefore the adventofman-madehybrid varieties. Its lowtolerance
to biotic and abiotic stresses prevalent in all major sugarcane growing
tracts was responsible for its replacement from commercial cultivation. In
India, it is used as a reliable female parent for interspecific hybridization,
but the use of S. officinarum clones is limited due to their shy nature of
flowering. Ofthe 752 clonesavailablein theWorldCollectionofgermplasm
maintained at Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Research Centre, Cannanore,
only about 60 clones are of flowering type.