Varieties, plant breeding and release

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Research outcomes: Comprehensive and efficient variety breeding, selection and release programs responding to yield expectations, environmental constraints, resource scarcity and regional preferences. Faster varietal adoption using advanced methods for bulking, distribution and planting.

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Pot and intensive care yield trials : interim report BR602
(1976) Pollock, JS
The promotion and delay of flowering
(1979) Pollock, JS
Several aspects of promoted flowering and delayed flowering were examined in small experiments at Meringa. These have application in the controlled flowering of parent varieties to facilitate a greater range of parent combinations. Results from some experiments are inconclusive and suggest further research. A useful collection of papers on flowering in sugar cane is contained in the Proceedings of the 11th ISSCT Congress, p505-545
The inheritance of ash in juice from sugar cane
(1983) Hogarth, DM; Kingston, G
Ash per cent juice data were obtained for varieties within 97 crosses in original seedlings in 1979 and for varieties within 86 crosses from three factorial polycrosses in 1981, on the Bundaberg Sugar Experiment Station. The data showed that many crosses had higher ash levels than the standard variety Q87. In experiment I, Q87 had slightly lower ash levels than Q109 and Q111, and all three were significantly lower than Q110. It was found for experiments I and II, that 65 and 54 per cent respectively of the phenotypic variation was associated with genetic characters. As 95 per cent of genetic variation was additive, the prospects for breeding lower ash canes from low ash parents are very good. However, selections based on ash assessment may reject many varieties with other desirable agronomic characters. Negative correlations existed between ash per cent juice and Brix. However, the correlations were too low to assume that selection for high Brix canes would result in selections with lower ash levels.
Biomass accumulation in sugarcane : final report 79/9028
(1984) Kingston, G; Ham, GJ; Ridge, DR; Leverington, KC
Growth analysis experiments were conducted at Ayr and Bundaberg from 1979 to 1982 to study biomass accumulation in plant and ratoon crops of sugarcane. Crops were planted and ratooned in March, June, September and December, and harvested at 6, 9, 12 and 15 months of age. Data were acquired for yields of total fresh and dry matter, in addition to yields of the following vegetative components: dry leaf, green leaf, tops and stalks. Fibre analyses were determined on all components, while glucose, fructose and sucrose % were also determined in the latter three components. It was shown that yield of total dry matter increased with age at harvest for all months of crop initiation. Potential for dry matter accumulation was closely associated with intercepted solar radiation. Growth for three months was ranked December-March > March-June > September-December > June-September. These rankings represented the interaction of crop growth stage with solar radition. The proportion of total dry matter allocated to soluble and structural carbohydrate was shown to be dependent on variety as well as an interaction between age at harvest and month of harvest. Canes older than nine months of age, harvested between June and December, had established a plateau type equilibrium between the proportion of total dry matter in soluble and structural carbohydrate. Good prospects existed for forward extension of the crushing season to March for ethanol production based on 15 month old cane. Models were developed to describe the growth of yield components of the biomass in relation to intercepted solar radition, month of crop initiation, age at harvest and crop class.
Regeneration of sugarcane plants from protoplasts and application of genetic transformation systems to sugarcane
(1986) Taylor, PWJ
Current gene transfer systems developed for modifying plants include direct gene transfer to protoplasts and Agrobacterium mediated gene transfer. These studies have important practical implications for application of genetic engineering technology to crop improvement, initially in sugarcane, and subsequently in other graminaceous crops for which sugarcane may serve as a model.
The production of genetic constructs for expression of sugarcane mosaic virus coat protein in sugarcane protoplasts : SRDC final report BS9S
(1990) SRDC
This project was one phase of research required for production of transgenic sugarcane. Through this project the sugar industry now has a synthetic resistance gene against SCMV that expresses in sugarcane plant cells. When sugarcane plants are regenerated from protoplasts or the biolistic gene is adopted for use in sugarcane, this gene may be used to produce transgenic cane plants combining their original agronomic characteristics with SCMV resistance.
Effect of far-red radiation on flowering of Saccharum spp. hybrids : SRDC Final report BS1S
(1990) Berding, N; Moore, PH
Many tropical sugarcane clones (Saccharum spp. hybrids) are unavailable for hybridization because of poor flowering. Methods are required to improve the flowering of such clones. This study was conducted to determine whether far-red radiation (> 700 nm) at end-of day would improve flowering. Three treatments in a photoperiod facility (PPF) were compared to an external control (EC) under natural photoperiod. A basic treatment known as modified Florida (MF) was used in all PPF treatments and served as the internal control. This was altered to provide a far-red (FR) treatment, by addition of either 5 or 10 min of far-red radiation at end-of-day, and a day interrupt (Dr) treatment, by imposition of 2 hr of darkness in mid afternoon. Percent flowering as harvested panicles was 21.0, 24.2, 24.6, and 9.5 for FR, Dr, MF, and EC, respectively. Total flowering was 23.4, 28.9, 27.0, and 10.7, respectively. The PPF treatments did not differ significantly for either measure. All were highly significantly greater than EC. The far-red treatments did not differ for harvested panicles. Treatments differed significantly for time of flowering. The flowering sequence was EC, MF, FR, and then DI. There were significant differences among clones in all treatments for emergence day, initiation day, elapsed days, and pollen test. Correlations among these measures were varied, with some being significant. Far red at end-of-day neither stimulated nor inhibited flowering in the PPF treatments. The FR and Dr treatments delayed emergence of flowering.
Effect of far-red radiation on flowering of saccharum spp. hybrids
(1990) Berding, N; Moore, PH
Many tropical sugarcane clones (Saccharum spp. hybrids) are unavailable for hybridization because of poor flowering. Methods are required to improve the flowering of such clones. This study was conducted to determine whether far-red radiation (> 700 nm) at end-of-day would improve flowering. Three treatments in a photoperiod facility (PPF) were compared to an external control (EC) under natural photoperiod. A basic treatment known as modified Florida (MF) was used in all PPF treatments and served as the internal control. This was altered to provide a far-red (FR) treatment, by addition of either 5 or 10 min of far-red radiation at end-of-day, and a day interrupt (DI) treatment, by imposition of 2 hr of darkness in mid afternoon. Percent flowering as harvested panicles was 21.0, 24.2, 24.6, and 9.5 for FR, DI, MF, and EC, respectively. Total flowering was 23.4, 28.9, 27.0, and 10.7, respectively. The PPF treatments did not differ significantly for either measure. All were highly significantly greater than EC. The far-red treatments did not differ for harvested panicles. Treatments differed significantly for time of flowering. The flowering sequence was EC, MF, FR, and then DI. There were significant differences among clones in all treatments for emergence day, initiation day, elapsed days, and pollen test. Correlations among these measures were varied, with some being significant. Far red at end-of-day neither stimulated nor inhibited flowering in the PPF treatments. The FR and DI treatments delayed emergence of flowering.
Effect of far-red radiation on flowering of Saccharum spp. Hybrids : SRDC final report BS1S
(1990) Berding, N; Moore, PH
Many tropical sugarcane clones (Saccharum spp. hybr ids) are unavailable for hybridization because of poor flowering. Methods are required to improve the flowering of such clones. This study was conducted to determine whether far-red radiation (> 700 nm) at end-ofday would improve flowering. Three treatments in a photoperiod facility (PPF) were compared to an external control (EC) under natural photoperiod. A basic treatment known as modified Florida (MF) was used in all PPF treatments and served as the internal control. This was altered to provide a far-red (FR) treatment, by addition of either 5 or 10 min of far-red radiation at end-of-day, and a day interrupt (DI) treatment, by imposition of 2 hr of darkness in mid afternoon. Percent flowering as harvested panicles was 21.0, 24.2, 24.6, and 9.5 for FR, DI, MF, and EC, respectively. Total flowering was 23.4, 28.9, 27.0, and 10.7, respectively. The PPF treatments did not differ significantly for ei ther measure. All were highly significantly greater than EC. The far-red treatments did not differ for harvested panicles. Treatments differed significantly for time of flowering. The flowering sequence was EC, MF, FR, and then Dr. There were significant differences among clones in all treatments for emergence day, initiation day, elapsed days, and pollen test. Correlations among these measures were varied, with some being significant. Far red at end-of-day neither stimulated nor inhibited flowering in the PPF treatments. The FR and Dr treatments delayed emergence of flowering.
Selection of superior crosses of sugarcane : SRDC final report BS6S
(1991) Bull, JK; Hogarth, DM
The impact of GxE interaction on the response to three methods of selection was assessed over three locations and three crop-years. The three selection methods considered were two previously used procedures, mass (individual) selection using a visual appraisal of clonal performance and family selection using selection rate, and a new procedure, family selection using a grade based on weighed family plots. Within the two forms of family selection, light mass selection based on a visual appraisal of clonal performance was used to reject the poorest clones. The gains from selection, calculated as the deviation in performance of the select groups from the performance of a group of randomly chosen clones, were assessed for each of these three methods.
Optimum plot shape for variety trials - effect of competition between varieties : Final report 39905083
(1991) Berding, N; Skinner, JC
Four plot shapes were compared using four replications of 60 clones. The shapes were 4-row long (4L), 4-row short (4S), 2-row long (2L) and 1-row long (1L). The standard length of 9.2m was used for long plots, short plots being 4.6m. A special design was used to compare all plot shapes in sub-blocks of six clones, but it was analysed as randomised complete blocks. With guard rows and ends the trial occupied 3.7 ha. It was located on the farm of L Johnson in the Mulgrave mill area.
Regeneration of sugarcane plants from protoplasts
(1991) Taylor, PWJ
This study aimed to develop a protoplast regeneration system for sugarcane so that gene transfer techniques could be applied for cultivar improvement. Published techniques for embryogenic callus culture, cell suspension culture, protoplast culture and plant regeneration in sugarcane were developed and tested using only a few cultivars. These techniques were further developed, evaluated and adapted for application to a range of commercial sugarcane cultivars.
Molecular tagging of economically important genes and promoters in sugarcane
(1992) Birch, RG
Project Objectives : The overall aim of this project was to develop techniques for the isolation of useful gene control sequences (promoters) in sugarcane. Early in the project we also undertook preliminary studies to lay some groundwork for techniques to tag and isolate useful genes in sugarcane. Specific objectives were: I. Develop techniques for the isolation of specific sugarcane gene control sequences. This led us to evaluate the applicability of differential cDNA hybridisation to recover tissue specific genes from sugarcane, followed by genomic library screening to recover corresponding tissue-specific promoters. 2. Prepare genetic constructs for transfer into sugarcane to assist identification and isolation of useful genes and promoters in sugarcane. This led us to test the effectiveness of a range of well characterised foreign promoters and novel artificial promoters in sugarcane. 3. Probe the sugarcane genome for endogenous transposable elements homologous to those isolated from other Oramineae, to help evaluate the potential for transposon tagging of useful sugarcane genes. All project objectives were achieved.
Development of techniques to study root systems of sugarcane : SRDC final report BS56S
(1993) Reghenzani, JR
The aim of this project, to develop quantitative, cost-effective techniques for assessing the size and extensiveness of root systems in sugarcane, has been achieved. The equipment purchased and subsequently modified, and the techniques developed, have vastly improved the capacity to study root systems of sugarcane. Modifications were made to substantially improve the operation of the hydropneumatic elutriation system imported from USA. Optimal settings of the image analysis system imported from the UK were determined for root length measurement (monochrome) and root colour (colour image processing). Macro files were written to speed the operation of the latter.
High efficiency production of transgenic sugarcane plants
(1994) Bower, R; University of Queensland
The efficiency of gene transfer into embryogenic callus of sugarcane has been increased tenfold by optimisation of particle bombardment conditions, and there is a corresponding increase in stable transformation frequencies. The method routinely yields approximately 2 independent transgenic plants per cm2 of bombarded embryogenic callus for sugarcane varieties anlenable to tissue culture. Genes coprecipitated on separate plasmids are cotransformed at high efficiency, which will facilitate introduction of agronomic genes. Materials needed for recovery of transgenic plants can be halved through improved selection protocols, allowing the recovery of hundreds of independent transformed plant lines. The improved method is now in use in BSES and CSIRO as well as UQ laboratories Since the completion of this project, the transformation system has been shown to be effective on a range of major commercial varieties, and over 70 lines from seven cultivars are currently in field trials.
Alternative selection strategies for the Burdekin sugarcane improvement program : SRDC final report BS4S
(1994) McRae, TA; Hogarth, DM
The production of transgenic sugarcane plants : SRDC final report BS44S
(1994) Smith, GR
Transgenic sugarcane plants, which expressed the coat protein of SCMV at a very low level, were produced by micoprojectile bombardment of sugarcane meristems. Transgenic plants expressing the luciferase (Luc) and B-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter genes were also produced. A paper describing regeneration of plantlets expressing the reporter gene GUS (Plant Cell Reports 12:343-346) was the first report of the use of sugar meristem tissues as a transformation target, and the second report of transgenic sugarcane plants. The level of expression of the coat protein gene in the regenerated plantlets was very low, possibly due to chimaerism, ie. mixtures of transformed and non-transformed cells in the same tissues. We have established that sugarcane meristems are a useful target for microprojectile transformation of sugarcane, although more research is necessary before this target can be routinely used for sugarcane genetic engineering.
Seasonal distribution of growth and sugar accumulation in sugarcane : SRDC project BS5S Final report
(1995) Cox, MC
At existing levels of cane yield, an extra unit of sugar content during May, June and July represented 47 6000 tonnes of sugar worth $13.3m at 1987 prices when this project was initiated. The situation now, with annual crops of greater than 30m tonnes and higher sugar prices, would provide greater returns. The potential for increasing early sugar through breeding and selectio has been demonstrated (see BS25S Final Report). Selection for high early sugar content may change the seasonal pattern of yield accumulation and affect regional adaptation.
Genotype X environment interaction and selection of sugarcane families for the Burdekin River irrigation area : SRDC final report BS57S
(1995) McRae, TA; Jackson, PA
The arable lands being developed for sugarcane production in the Burdekin River Irrigation Area (BRIA) are on markedly different soil types and, as a consequence, may present environmental challenges different to those influencing sugarcane production on the more established alluvial soils of the Burdekin delta and levee areas.
Effect of culture conditions on growth and genetic integrity of in vitro sugarcane plants : SRDC final report BS60S
(1995) Taylor, PWJ