BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF IN VITRO SALT TOLERANT CELL LINES AND REGENERATED PLANTS OF SUGARCANE (SACCHARUM SPP. HYBRID)

Abstract

Soil salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses affecting growth and productivity of important crops worldwide. Sugarcane is a glycophyte crop of major economical value in tropical and subtropical countries of the world where salinity is an ever-increasing problem. Sugarcane plants grown under stressed conditions show not only arrested growth of various parts but also a decrease in sucrose content. During the recent years, tissue culture technique has gained importance in producing plants with improved salt tolerance through selection of salt-tolerant cells lines and their subsequent regeneration. During the present work, protocols were established for callus induction, maintenance and regeneration of the two sugarcane cultivars (cv. SPF 234 and cv. HSF 240). It was observed that the best medium for callus induction and maintenance was MS medium supplemented with 13.5 μM 2,4-D. Callus cultures at day 120 were shifted to the various regeneration media. It was observed that among the different media used, MS medium supplemented with 8.87 μM BAP and 0.5 μM TDZ was the best in terms of all the growth parameters studied for both the cultivars. However, the maximum regeneration frequency in cv. SPF 234 was greater (85 %) as compared to cv. HSF 240 (76 %). Best rooting (95 %) of the regenerated shoots in cv. SPF 234 was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 2 μM IBA at day 30. Almost similar results were recorded for in vitro-grown plants of cv. HSF 240 for percentage root formation on MS medium supplemented with 1 or 2 μM IBA with 94 and 93 % rooting respectively. Hardening of sugarcane plants was also successfully accomplished for both the sugarcane cultivars.