Sugar Tech (2009) 11(1) : 34-38 RESEARCH ARTICLE Field performance of micropropagated plants and potential of seed cane for stalk yield and quality in sugarcane S. K. Sandhu · S. S. Gosal · K.S. Thind · S.K. Uppal · Bipen Sharma · Madhu Meeta · Karnail Singh · G.S. Cheema Received : 7 October, 2008; Revised : 11 February 2009; Accepted: 20 February 2009 1 3 Abstract Two field experiments were conducted to ascertain the potential of micropropagation technique for faster production of seed cane by using tissue culture plants raised through apical meristem culture in first generation (TC 0) followed by clonal propagation through cane setts in next generation (TC1). About 18, 520 plants, produced from a single shoot through micropropagation, were required at row to row and plant to plant spacing of 90 and 60 cm, respectively as compared to 88 quintal of cane seed in conventional methods for planting in an area of one hectare. Multiplication ratio was 100-150 times using tissue culture plants as compared to 11-12 using conventional cane setts, leading to drastic reduction in seed cane requirement. The TC 1 exhibited superiority over vegetatively propagated conventional crop for millable canes and stalk yield by 17 and 10.4 per cent, respectively. Though the single cane weight and cane diameter (non-significantly) were slightly lesser in TC1 as compared to conventional crop, this did not distress its potential as seed crop. The incidence of Ratoon Stunting Disease (RSD) and Leaf Scald Disease (LSD) was very low in TC 1 crop as compared to conventional crop. The findings established the potential of tissue culture technique for the production of quality seed free of pests and pathogens in the existing varieties and rapid multiplication of newly released varieties for quick adoption by the growers. Keywords sugarcane, micropropagation, apical meristem culture, multiplication rate, seed cane Introduction Commercial varieties of sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) are developed through a multi-stage selection scheme over a period of about 8-10 years. There is very limited quantity of seed cane available at the time of release of a new variety leading to delay in fast spread of varieties at farmers’ level. The availability of quality seed of newly released varieties is a major constraint in their quick adoption. Even in old, well- adopted varieties under cultivation, availability of quality seed ensures better cane yield, sugar yield, pathogens and pest- free crop. Moreover, sugarcane crop requires large quantities of seed cane (6-7 t/ha) with conventional 3-bud setts planting under sub-tropical conditions. This works out to the 10% of the cane produced. Translated into practice, this means that about 1.2 million tones sugar is being buried in the soil annually in India (Sukhla and Mehni Lal, 2003). Micropropagation of sugarcane is an emerging technology for quality seed production and for increasing productivity (Sreenivasan, 1995). It is emerging as a powerful tool for fast clonal multiplication of sugarcane varieties (Singh et al., 2001). A new sugarcane variety may take 8-10 years after its release before sufficient planting material may be generated for the wide coverage in the farmers field. By using micropropagation technique, a comparable level of multiplication may be achieved within two years. Since micropropagation is carried out under microbe free laboratory conditions throughout the year, virus free or disease free planting stocks can be produced by meristem or shoot tip culture. Dean (1982) reported elimination of sugarcane mosaic virus by culturing meristem S. K. Sandhu () · K.S. Thind · S.K. Uppal · Bipen Sharma · Madhu Meeta · Karnail Singh Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, PAU e mail: surinderksandhu@yahoo.com S. S. Gosal School of Agriculture Biotechnology, PAU G.S. Cheema Department of Agronomy, PAU Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana- 141 004, Punjab, India.