Possibilities of Development of Red Rot Resistance in Sugarcane Through Somaclonal Variation

Red rot behavior of 50 somaclones of sugarcane variety CoS 88230, was studied by plug and nodal methods of inoculation using a mixture of four isolates of Colletotrichum falcatum. The results revealed that most of the somaclones had red rot susceptibility to varying degrees except four somaclones viz. SC-15, 20, 22 and 30, which were found moderately resistant (MR) by plug method of inoculation. Two somaclones viz. SC-22 and 30 were found resistant by nodal method of inoculation. Using plug method of inoculation, the aforesaid four somaclones viz. SC-15, 20, 22 and 30 were also found moderately resistant against all the four strains if tested individually, according to 0–9 scale except against isolate R 8411. These somaclones were better in red rot resistance than the donor variety CoS 88230. The wide variations observed in a number of traits along with red rot behavior in the somaclonal population was possibly due to complex genetic nature and existence of chromosomal mosaicism in commercial hybrid varieties of sugarcane.