Mejoramiento de la caña de azucar mediante la induccion de mutaciones en cultivo de callos

To evaluate the variability induced by gamma rays in vitro cultivated sugarcane callus, as well as to determine the stability to mosaic virus resistance (SCMV), agronomic and morphologic characters were evaluated in field trials through successive vegetative generations. A sample of sugarcane plants was inoculated using the strain B of the SCMV in order to evaluate disease resistance stability. Sugarcane plants selected through the standard selection program were molecularly characterized by using the RAPD´s technique. The results showed a high percentage of plants, 84% under field conditions and 95% of SCMV-B inoculated plants, free of mosaic symptoms. A low percentage of plants showed morphological variations such as buds, knot buds and leaf pubescence. Sixteen (16) out of 264 sugarcane plants evaluated in field trials had both, a good yield performance (Tons of sugar and cane) and disease resistance. RAPD´s technique allowed to genetically differentiate sugarcane plants from the source parent B67-49. Callus irradiation with gamma rays promoted DNA structural changes that were favorable in a high percentage of evaluated sugarcane plants.