An efficient protocol for in vitro micropropagation of sugarcane

An efficient protocol for seed multiplication through tissue culture technique was developed for the sugarcane var. CoPant 94211. The cultures were initiated from shoot tip explants on agar solidified MS medium supplemented with BAP and Kinetin (0.5 mg/l each). The initiated cultures were transferred to MS liquid Medium augmented with BAP, Kinetin and NAA (0.5 mg/l each) for shoot multiplication. For further multiplication the shoot clumps were repeatedly separated and subcultured on fresh media of the same composition at 10-12 days interval. After developing sufficient number of shoots, the shoot clumps were separated into groups of 5-6 shoots and transferred for rooting on 1/2 strength MS rooting medium fortified with NAA (5.0 mg/l) and sucrose (7%). Profuse root system developed at the shoot bases within 2 weeks. The rooted plants were washed with water, planted in small polythene bags containing a soil mixture consisting of potato field soil, sand and fly ash (4:1:1) and kept under green house condition for hardening. The hardened plantlets were transplanted to the field where they grew normally and subsequently gave a good standing crop.