REGENERATION OF SOMACLONES FROM SUGARCANE CULTIVAR CO-740 & COMPARISON OF THEIR AGRONOMIC CHARACTERS WITH LOCAL VARIETIES.

The present study was carried out to select better performing somaclones generated from the tissue culture of local popular existing sugarcane cultivar Co-740. Three somaclones were selected & compared their growth & yield parameters with local cultivars (Co-740, Co-419 & CoC-671). These parameters studied at regular one month interval from 30thday–360thday. After 30 days of plantation, maximum germination was found in parent variety Co-740 followed by GSBT-9, and minimum in other selected canes during 2015-16. But all have shown poor germination rate in this climate. The somaclone GSBT-9 has shown maximum shoot length (more number of internodes), tillering, single cane weight & highest number of millable canes in a unit area compared to its parent variety Co740 & other varieties. Thus, improved performance of GSBT-9 is contributing to higher bimass yield. However, though GSBT-9 has higher crop yield (biomass) but it was failed to recover sugar as compared with GSBT-7 & 8 in which sugar recovery was highest among all studied canes. Hence, all selected somaclone have shown better performance in the growth, yield & sugar recovery than their parent variety Co-740 & other existing varieties. Further, GSBT-9 can survive longer period with sugar recovery in this semi-arid climate & late harvesting area.