Colchine-induced aneuploids from cell culture of sugarcane

Summary Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) clones are amenable to gross chromosome manipulation due to their high polyploid nature (2n=100–120). This study was conducted to analyze the effects on plant morphology of altering chomosome number via callus culture. Callus cultures from clone H69-9092 were established, and plants were regenerated following colchicine treatment of cultured cells. Cytological analysis showed that variant somaclones were aneuploids with a wide range in chromosome numbers (2n=66–196). Some 22 visually distinct somaclones were planted in 1.35 m² plots with five replications to compare morphological and quality characteristics with H69-9092 at 8 months of growth. Extreme morphological variation was observed between somaclones, but coefficients of variation for quality factors-fibers %, refractometer solids %, pol %, and juice purity-and stomatal length were smaller than those for morphological traits associated with stalk volume and leaf area. Significant negative correlations were found between chromosome number and most morphological traits, e.g., stalk length (r=-0.58), number (r=-0.69), diameter (r=-0.54) and volume (r=-0.65); internode length (r=-0.57); and leaf area (r=-0.48). A positive correlation was found between chromosome number and stomatal length (r=-0.66). No significant correlations were found between chromosome number and quality factors. Aneuploids with higher than parental chromosome number had reduced growth. However, depression in growth was generally not observed in somaclones lower in chromosome number than the parent.Published with the approval of the Director as Paper No. 598 in the Journal Series of the Experiment Station, Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association.