Genetic Resources

Sugarcane Breeding Institute is one of the two World repositories (the other being at Miami, Florida, USA) of sugarcane germplasm. The institute is maintaining worldâs largest in situ germplasm collection. Besides this independent and joint expeditions in collaboration with other national agencies for the collection of different species of Saccharum and related genera constitute is an ongoing activity of the Institute.

Field gene bank– Major part of the sugarcane germplasm (Saccharum officinarum, S.barberi, S.sinense, S.robustum S. edule)is being maintained at SBI Research Centre, Kannur (Kerala state) while the wild species such as S.spontaneum, Erianthus spp., and the related genera are maintained at Coimbatore. Some of the clones collected from high altitude viz., Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalya could not establish and flowered at Coimbatore, so S.spontaneum clones from Arunachal Pradesh, E. fulvus and Miscanthus nepalensis collected from Meghalya are maintained at IARI Regional Station, Wellington.

Seed Bank- Poly cross true seeds of S. spontaneum and National Active Germplasm (NAG) varieties are collected each year, tested for germination and viable seeds are sent for long term storage in National Gene Bank at NBPGR, New Delhi along with passport information.

in vitro conservation- In vitro culture facility has been initiated at Kannur Research Centre for conserving the germplasm in phases

Germplasm Holdings held at this Institute

Location	Species / genera	Indian accessions	ISSCT accessions
SBI, Coimbatore	S. spontaneum	878	Nil
	Erianthus spp.	313	Nil
	Allied genera	41	Nil
SBI, Kannur	S. officinarum	Nil	757
	S.robustum	Nil	145
	S. barberi	Nil	30
	S.spontaneum	305	79
	Erianthus spp.	Nil	132
	Allied genera	88	20
SBI, Agali	S. officinarum	130	Nil
IARI, Wellington	S. spontaneum	47	Nil
	Erianthus rufipilus	5	Nil
	Miscanthus nepalensis	3	Nil

Exploration of germplasm

It is one of the priority areas of activities was started by the institute as early in 1912. Since then several explorations conducted by the Institute for the collection of Saccharum germplasm from different geographical and climatic regimes of the country. In the recent past explorations were conducted in Gujarat (Sep 2007) Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand (Aug-Sept 2009). Gujarat had not been explored previously for wild sugarcane germplasm and no accessions from there existed in the germplasm collection.The distribution of S. spontaneum in Gujarat was occasional and mostly found on river banks, dry river beds and field bunds. But it was commonly seen in Kutch district in western Gujarat and in isolated areas in north Gujarat. They were dwarf or medium tall types. A total of 32 accessions of S. spontaneum were collected from different districts in Gujarat. 28 clones of S. spontaneum, Erianthus fulvus and Miscanthus were collected from 9 districts of Himachal Pradesh and 25 clones (S. spontaneum and Miscanthus ) were collected from 10 districts of Uttarakhand.

The details of germplasm explorations are listed in this table

Characterization and Documentation

The major part of the species-germplasm available at present had been evaluated for agro-morphological attributes and flowering and the information had been documented in the germplasm catalogues published from the Institute. The germplasm had also been evaluated for specific attributes like earliness based on sucrose content and purity at 7th month and waterlogging resistance at Kannur. The germplasm Catalogues and databases published from the Institute are listed in this table.

Enhancement of Genetic Resources

Improvement of species-germplasm is being carried out through intra-specific hybridization and selection within the Saccharum species. The improved species-hybrids are being used in the interspecific hybridization. Attempts are also under way to broaden the cytoplasmic base of the hybrids using Saccharum barberi, S. sinense, S. spontaneum and Erianthus arundinaceus as female parents in hybridization.

Interspecific and intergeneric hybrids are continuously developed and evaluated and superior hybrids are inducted into the breeding pools periodically. Nearly 300 such hybrids have been evaluated under sub-tropical conditions at Karnal (Haryana State) also, and some of the superior hybrids have been inducted in the breeding programmes.

Improved genetic stocks maintained at Sugarcane Breeding Institute

Center	Material	No. of Clones
SBI Research Center, Kannur	Indian hybrids	1031
	Foreign hybrids ((ISSCT) and subsequenct introductions	614
	Indo American (IA) Clones	130
SBI Research Center, Agali	Improved clones of S.spontaneum	97
	Improved clones of S.barberi	21
	Interspecific hybrids	94
	NDHF (hybrid clones	141

Registration of germplasm

The Germplasm Registration Committee of Indian Council of Agricultural Research had approved the following sugarcane hybrids developed at the Institute for registration as germplasm. They are:

Sr. No.	Botanical name	National identity	Donor identity	INGR_No	Year	Pedigree	Novel unique features
1.	Saccharum sp.	IC651997	GU 12-21	INGR24049	2024	GU 04 28 EO-2 X Co 06027	Broad spectrum resistance to red rot disease (Cf 671 and more virulent Cf671 + Cf9401). Winter sprouting potential (WSI= 7.2 )
2.	Saccharum sp.	IC651998	GU 12-19	INGR24050	2024	GU 04 28 EO-2 X Co 06027	High winter sprouting potential (WSI =10.6). Broad spectrum resistance to red rot disease (R to Cf06 pathotype and MR to Cf06 +Cf12 mixed pathotype)
3.	Saccharum sp.	IC651999	Co 12014	INGR24051	2024	Co 97007 x Co 775	Red rot resistance (MR). Smut resistance (MR). Yellow leaf disease resistance (MR)
4.	Saccharum sp	IC646869	Co 85019	INGR22183	2022	Co 7201 x Co 775	High cane and sugar yield (14.50 t/ha) under tillering phase drought stress
5.	Saccharum sp.	IC646870	Co 98017	INGR22184	2022	Co 8316 x Co 8213	High millable canes 74.68 (000/ha) and cane yield under tillering phase drought.
6.	Saccharum sp.	IC646871	Co 17008	INGR22185	2022	Co 0240 X Co 0214	High cane thickness (3.00 cm).
7.	Saccharum spp.	IC646872	Co 15002	INGR22186	2022	148-S4-242-4 x Co 94008, Co 99006, Co 8371 and Co 06027	Potential source for red rot resistance combined with smut resistance and yellow leaf disease resistance. A high yielding genotypes can be used in the sugarcane improvement without any further back crossing. Developed from a rare fifth generation inbred.
8.	Saccharum spp.	IC636676	SBI/2020/GU 07-2276/266	INGR21067	2021	GU 04 (50) RE-9 X CoH 70	High cane yield (89.66 t/ha) under drought condition. Lowest reduction for single cane weight under drought. High Nitrogen (77.92 kg of dry biomass/kg of nitrogen))
9.	Saccharum sp.	IC638608	Co 13003	INGR21068	2021	Co 86011 x CoT 8201	High fibre (15.05%) in cane combining high sucrose (19.77%) content of commercial level.
10.	Saccharum sp.	IC635051	Co 13001	INGR20068	2020	Co 740 x CoT 8201	High sucrose at 240 days. Short duration clone (Maturing @ 240 days). Sucrose % 19.40.
11.	Saccharum sp.	IC635052	Co 14016	INGR20069	2020	Co 86032 X Co 86011	High cane population (number of millable canes 1,07,670/ha). Donor for ratoonability.
12.	Saccharum officinarum	IC635053	AS 04-2097	INGR20070	2020	Co 8371 x SH 216	Drought tolerance. Interspecific hybrid with broadened genetic base.
13.	Saccharum sp.	IC635054	CYM 08-922	INGR20071	2020	CYM 07-971 X CoC 671	Potential pre-bred material for drought tolerance.
14.	Saccharum officinarum	IC636675	AS 04-1687	INGR20110	2020	BO 102 x IND 84-337	Drought tolerance. Water logging tolerance.
15.	Saccharum sp.	IC636674	BM 1010-168	INGR20111	2020	Co 98010 x (Co 1148 x SES 404)	Drought tolerance. High relative water content under drought.
16.	Erianthus arundinaceus	IC636673	SBIEC 14006	INGR20112	2020	IK 76-75 GC (Open pollination)	High harvestable biomass.High fibre content.
17.	Erianthus arundinaceous	IC0561900	SES 159	INGR13070	2020	NA	High biomass, high yield, high NMC and C.O.D., amenability for in vitro.
18.	Saccharum Spp hybrid	IC0612055	IG 91-1100	INGR15031	2015	CoC 772 x Erianthus Polycross	For good seed setting
19.	Erianthus x Saccharum hybrid	IC0612056	GU 04 (28) EO-2	INGR15032	2015	IND 90-776 (Erianthus procerus) x PIO 96-435 (Improved S. officinarum)	Regular flowerer with pollen fertility of 5.5% to be used as female parent in introgression
20.	Saccharum robustum x Erianthus hybrid	IC0612058	GU 04 (50)RE-16	INGR15033	2015	PIR 00-1100 (Saccharum robustum) x IK 76-91 (Erianthus arundinaceus)	Regular flowerer with good seed set (128 seedlings)
21.	Saccharum x Sorghum hybrid	IC0612060	GU 08 SSH-66	INGR15034	2015	Co 0238 x SOS 250	For high early sugar accumulation
22.	Saccharum Spp. hybrid	IC0612061	99 WL-379	INGR15035	2015	Co 7313 x Co 96011	For high juice quality under water logged condition
23.	Saccharum spp. hybrid	IC0598475	SBI 2007-291	INGR14011	2014	CoSnk 03-044 x Co 86002	For early high sucrose.
24.	Saccharum sp.	IC0594482	CYM 08-903	INGR13019	2013	[IK 76-62 x Iritty-2] Co775 x CoC 671	Sugarcane hybrid with cytoplasm from wild Erianthus arundinaceus, a good parent giving high red rot resistant progeny in cross with sugarcane varieties.
25.	Erianthus x Saccharum Hybrid	IC0594464	SBIEC 11004	INGR13050	2013	IK 76-92 x 98 NI 1405	High fibre content: 30.21%.
26.	Saccharum. spp. hybrid	IC0598218	SBI 1148-11-13-2-225	INGR13071	2013	Self at fourth generation of Co 1148	Possessing high sucrose and red rot resistance in addition to the other agronomic traits of Co 1148.
27.	Erianthus X Saccharum sp hybrid	IC0594462	SBIEC 11001	INGR12016	2012	IK 76-92 x 98 NI 1405	High biomass production: Total harvestable biomass of 279.01 t/ha dry biomass of 101.23 t/ha
28.	Saccharum sp	IC0594463	SBIEC 11002	INGR12017	2012	Co 1148 x SES 404	Dual purpose energy cane combining, high fibre content 22.58% with high juice hrix content (15.92%). High biomass potential: Total harvestable biomass of 247.53 t/ha and dry biomass of 85.23 t/ha
29.	Saccharum sp	IC0594465	Co 0230	INGR12018	2012	CoLK 8102 x Co 775	Good ratooner: In ratoon crop the clone recorded 68.46 t/ha which is 16.35% improvement over local variety CoSe 95422. Additional trait-waterlogging tolerant: Retains the green canopy even after one month water logging. Recorded 51.34% higher cane yield t
30.	Saccharum spp. hybrid	IC565018	Co 97016	INGR09052	2009	ISH-63 x Co 8209ISH-63:Co740 x (CP 43-47 x S.robustum clone 57NG80)	High cane yield and sugar yield and tolerance to water-logging, salinity and drought
31.	Saccharum spp. hybrid	IC565019	SCGS 00-0402	INGR09053	2009	Co 86002 x Co 62198	High levels of juice sucrose at 240 days of crop age
32.	Saccharum spp. hybrid	IC565020	Co 1020	INGR09130	2009	Co 89003 GC	Rare commercial hybrid with high juice quality early in the season (in 240 days) and high sugar recovery
33.	Saccharum spp. hybrid	IC565021	Co 91002	INGR09131	2009	CoC 671 x Co 62198	High quality clone with good sugar accumulation (300 days of age, AVT) for both peninsular and East coast regions, with resistance to smut and drought
34.	Saccharum sp.	IC556971	CYM 04-420	INGR08039	2008	IK 76-62 x Iritty-2	Inter-generic hybrid with Erianthus cytoplasm
35.	Saccharum sp.	IC556972	Co 92002	INGR08040	2008	Co 7717 x CoC 671 x (57NG110 x S. robustum)	Rare recombinant involving Saccharum robustum
36.	Saccharum spp.	IC522951	Co 93009	INGR08041	2008	Co 678 x Co 775	Clone combining high cane yield & red rot resistance
37.	Saccharum spp.	IC556976	Co 99006	INGR08042	2008	[{BO 91 x Co 62175} x Co 775]	High sucrose (20.41%), broad leaves & fan shaped canopy
38.	Saccharum x Sorghum hybrid	IC522943	SSH-1	INGR05021	2005	ICSA56 (Sorghum) x IJ76316 (Saccharum officinarum)	Hybrid between Saccharum x Sorghum

National Active Germplasm (NAG)

Sugarcane Breeding Institute is a designated centre for National Active Germplasm Site (NAGS) for sugarcane under National Plant Biodiversity Conservation Network of NBPGR. Registered genetic stocks and released / notified commercial varieties are conserved as active collections for reference and distribution to bonafide researchers.As on April 2016, 226 registered germplasm and notified varieties are being maintained in the field.

♥ The available NAG collections is listed in this table

♥ Sugarcane Germplasm registered with NBPGR, New Delhi in this table