DNA content of the sugarcane parents at Canal Point FL

Authors: Todd, James; Momotaz, Aliya

Submitted to: American Society of Sugarcane Technologist
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/29/2023
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is an aneuploid and polyploid with a variable genome size. Every year crosses are made in Florida and Louisiana; parents show different level of fertility with some parents being male sterile. It is unknown how the chromosome imbalance affects the fertility of the sugarcane flowers. Samples from 100 sugarcane parents having variable fertility were taken in spring of 2022 at Canal Point, FL. This included 41 Louisiana clones and 50 Florida clones as well as 8 foreign clones. The DNA content was estimated by private company ‘plantploidy.com’. For the Louisiana parents there was no significant difference in DNA content between male and female and DNA content did not correlate with yield traits. There were significant differences in the average genetic content of the different breeding programs, because the Florida breeding programs including Canal Point and Clewiston had significantly more genetic material (10.64 and 10.86 genetic content respectively), than USDA Houma Louisiana breeding program with 10.37 for Ho and 10.36 for HoCP genotypes respectively. The reasons for these differences are unknown with potential causes being the introgression breeding program in Louisiana or selection preferences in both programs. These differences will be investigated in future research.