Genetic Confirmation and Field Performance Comparison for Yield and Quality Among Advanced Generations of Erianthus arundinaceus, E. bengalense and Saccharum spontaneum Cyto-Nuclear Genome Introgressed Sugarcane Intergeneric Hybrids

Genomic constitution of commercially cultivated sugarcane varieties over the world is derived from few basic species clones of Saccharum complex. In order to impart new cytoplasmic and nuclear genome in sugarcane hybrids, untapped wild species of Saccharum spontaneum (S), Erianthus arundinaceus (E) and E. bengalense (Eb) were utilized to produce different combinations i.e., E. arundinaceus x S. spontaneum (ES), S. spontaneum x E. arundinaceus (SE) and S. spontaneum x E. bengalense (SEb) intergeneric hybrids (H). Subsequently, these resulting hybrids were repeatedly used as pistil parent and crossed with commercial sugarcane varieties as pollen parent for three (G(3)) to four (G(4)) generations to produce an array of advanced generation hybrids. Twenty six such advanced generation hybrids (G(3) and G(4)) derived were evaluated for quality and yield contributing traits at 300 and 360 days after planting during 2010-2011 and 11-12 in augmented block design along with standard sugarcane varieties. The presence of E. arundinaceus cytoplasmic DNA was validated in intergeneric hybrids by PCR-RFLP of the amplified chloroplast DNA for psbC-trnS. Performance of ESH G(3) and SEH G(4) hybrids were comparable and some E. arundinaceus cytoplasm introgressed hybrids performed on par with standard varieties for yield and quality traits. Few intergeneric hybrids exhibited wider acclimatization in diverse agro-climatic conditions. Some of these intergeneric hybrids have potential for commercial cultivation and their utilization in breeding programme could help in broadening the genetic base and also for wider adaptability of future sugarcane varieties.