Estimation of Selection Efficiency for Brix in Progeny of Different Types of Crosses in Sugarcane (Saccharum spp. Complex)

• Published in: Sugar tech : an international journal of sugar crops & related industries 2012-06, Vol.14 (2), p.138-143
• Main Authors: Sandhu, Surinder K., Thind, K. S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Analysis; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Life Sciences; Research Article; Sugarcane
• ISSN: 0972-1525; 0974-0740; 0972-1525
• DOI: 10.1007/s12355-011-0130-0

The study was undertaken to determine the effect of different types of parental combinations of sugarcane ( Saccharum spp. hybrids) on selection efficiency for HR Brix (per cent total soluble solids) in their progeny in the ratooned seedling stage. Three types of crosses involving subtropical and subtropical parents (Set 1); tropical and subtropical parents (Set 2), subtropical/tropical parents crossed with progenitors/different sugarcane species or genera (Set 3), were used for comparison. The selection percentage for Brix was estimated and compared among different types of crosses. The frequency distribution of the population derived from Set 3, involving a commercial cultivar and wild progenitor was markedly skewed towards higher Brix performance. The percentage of elite clones (>19.1 Brix) was 2.06 in Set 1, 2.64 in Set 2 and 7.22 in Set 3, suggesting that the use of diverse crosses may be relevant in commercial sugarcane breeding programs aimed at high sugar content. The frequency distribution of the population in one of Set 3 crosses derived from Saccharum officinarum clone was markedly skewed towards higher performance for high Brix. The population from crosses involving Saccharum spontaneum as male parents, were found to have low mean Brix values having no or a few elite progeny clones having Brix >19.