Genetic variability, character association and path analysis in sugarcane genotypes

ABSTRACT

The study, conducted at Tana-Beles Sugarcane plantation in Ethiopia from May 2022 to October 2023, used a partially balanced lattice design with two replications to assess variability and trait associations among 196 sugarcane genotypes collected from 14 countries. Highly significant (p < 0.0001) variability was observed for all traits; especially genotypes with fuzz exhibited wider variation for cane (20.97–135.31 t/ha) and sugar yield (1.83–20.42 t/ha), highlighting their potential for improvement. Except for single cane weight, brix, and purity, all traits displayed moderate to high heritability (H² : 31–79%) and genetic advance (GAM: 10.69–53.14%), indicating potential for improvement through phenotypic selection being controlled by additive gene actions. The number of millable stalks, stalk length, stalk diameter, brix and cane yield showed significant positive genotypic correlations (r = 0.49, r = 0.55, r = 0.41, r = 0.65, and r = 0.98, respectively) and strong direct positive effects (0.33, 0.47, 0.75, 0.51 and 0.83, respectively) on sugar yield. Thus, Sugar yield, along with these traits, can serve as selection criteria for identifying high-sugar-yielding sugarcane genotypes. Consequently, the top three sugarcane genotypes for multi-traits, namely B552–11, FG04–466, and B707–1, could be evaluated across seasons for commercial use at Tana-Beles.

KEYWORDS:

• Sugarcane
• agro-morphological traits
• biochemical traits
• genetic variability
• selection

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the institutional collaboration between the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and Hawassa University for its financial support. We are also greatly thankful for Tana-Beles Research Station and Tana-Beles Sugar Development Project for their valuable support in experimental field management, and data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data related to this study can be found from the corresponding author on releasable request.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/03650340.2024.2331036.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Institutional Collaboration Program between the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and Hawassa University, Phase-IV, ETH-13/0027, which was funded by the government of Norway.