Stability analysis and morpho molecular characterization of advanced sugarcane saccharum sp complex clones

Abstract

ABSTRACT newlineSugarcane (Saccharum sp. complex) is an important industrial crop for sugar and bioenergy worldwide. The present investigation was taken up to study the G×E interaction and stability analysis by the GGE biplot method in fourteen sugarcane clones during 2020-21 and 2021-22 at four different locations namely Pantnagar, Kashipur, Dhanauri (Haridwar), and Dhakrani (Dehradun) for seventeen yield and juice quality characters. The morphological characterization was also carried out based on the DUS descriptor in 2020-21 and 2021-22 at Pantnagar. DNA fingerprinting and genetic diversity analysis among the clones was carried out using fifteen STMS markers. The pooled analysis of variance over the eight environments showed significant differences among the clones, environments and their interactions for all the characters, indicating the presence of adequate variability in the materials under study. The mean performance across the environments and environmental indices indicated E2 (2020 at Kashipur), E6 (2021 at Kashipur) and E1 (2020 at Pantnagar) were graded as favorable environments because these environments produced higher cane and sugar yield than the general mean. In the stability analysis, which won wherequot GGE biplot revealed Co Pant 12226, Co Pant 16222 and Co Pant 16221 were ideal genotypes for most of the traits. The GGE biplot quotdiscrimination vs representativenessquot showed E4 (2020 at Dehradun) and E1 (2020 at Pantnagar) were ideal test environments for the selection of widely adapted genotypes for most of the characters. By the same biplot, Kashipur (2020) was identified as the best test environment for the selection of specifically adapted genotypes for the ajority of the characters. The clones showed crossover G×E interaction for the traits germination%, number of tillers, number of millable canes, cane height, juice brix% at the 12-month stage, juice purity % at the 10-month and 12-month stage, CCS% at the 12-month stage and for CCS yield at the 10-month stage. Based on the quotmean vs stabilityquot GGE biplot, Co Pant 13224 showed high mean as well as high stability for newlinemost of the traits. Co Pant 16222 was the best clone for cane yield and sugar yield in all the environments. Whereas, Co Pant 12226 and Co Pant 17221 were identified as the best responsive genotypes for the majority of the traits. In morphological characterization, CoS 767 (dense leaf sheath hairiness), Co Pant 17223 (strapshaped ligules), Co Pant 13224 (erect leaf blade), Co Pant 16221 (weak adherence of leaf sheath), Co Pant 97222 (green colour of unexposed internode), Co Pant 17223 (yellow-green colour of exposed internode), Co Pant 12221 (conidial shape internode and heavy waxiness), Co Pant 97222 (oval-shaped bud), Co 5011 (round bud) and Co Pant 16221 (pithiness in the internode) were differentiated among all the studied clones due to the presence of these traits. The Hand#8242; index revealed that clones showed high variability for plant growth habit, leaf blade curvature, zigzag internode alignment, rind surface appearance at internode, internode waxiness, bud groove, bud tip in relation to growth ring, and for prominence of growth ring. This information may be utilized for proper identification and the protection of studied advanced clones in sugarcane crop improvement. In molecular characterization, clones were identified due to the presence or absence of unique bands. The highest percentage of polymorphic bands was found with the markers NKS6, NKS11, NKS17 and NKS34 (100%) and the highest PIC value of 0.92 was observed for NKS9 followed by NKS17 (0.91). The Co Pant 12226 and Co Pant 13224 are sister lines therefore they exhibited the highest similarity newlinecoefficient (0.96) and clustered together. Whereas, the highest genetic diversity with 0.43 similarity coefficient was found between Co Pant 12226 and Co 5011 as well as between Co Pant 16222 and Co Pant 17224. This study of DNA fingerprinting and genetic diversity can be utilized for plant variety protection and to identify diverse clones for future use in sugarcane breeding programs. newline newline