Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
(eISSN: 2229-4473)
In vitro propagation of two sugarcane genotypes via shoot apical meristem culture
*Article not assigned to an issue yet
Gebreyohannes Gebreselema, Kiros Letebrhan, Patharajan Subban, Teka Zenebe, Girmay Teklay
Research Articles | Published: 27 April, 2026
First Page: 0
Last Page: 0
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Keywords: Plant growth regulators, Shoots, Meristem, Sugarcane, Tissue culture
Abstract
In vitro propagation using shoot apical meristem culture provides a reliable method for producing uniform, disease-free sugarcane planting material. This study aimed to optimize hormone regimes for two French genotypes, FG03-418 and FG04-754, and highlighted their genotype-specific responses that improved shoot initiation, multiplication, rooting, and acclimatization efficiency. This study optimized in vitro propagation of two French sugarcane genotypes (FG03-418 and FG04-754) using shoot apical meristems under a randomized design, revealing genotype-specific responses to plant growth regulators. FG03-418 showed optimal initiation on MS medium with 0.75 mg/L 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP), while FG04-754 responded best at 1.25 mg/L BAP. During multiplication, FG03-418 produced the highest shoot number (11.56 ± 0.68) at 1.5 mg/L BAP + 0.5 mg/L 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and achieved maximum shoot length and leaf number (5.47 ± 0.31) at 2.0 mg/L BAP + 0.5 mg/L NAA, whereas FG04-754 exhibited optimal shoot growth at 2.0 mg/L BAP + 0.5 mg/L NAA. Root induction was most effective on half-strength MS medium supplemented with NAA, at 5.0 mg/L for FG03-418 and 4.0 mg/L for FG04-754, producing mean root lengths of 7.05 ± 0.13 cm and 5.27 ± 0.14 cm, respectively. Acclimatization in a greenhouse substrate of sand, soil, and compost (1:2:1) resulted in survival rates above 95%, confirming plantlet vigor and stability. The study established successful micropropagation protocols for both genotypes, with FG03-418 performing best at lower BAP concentrations (0.75–2.0 mg/L) and FG04-754 requiring slightly higher levels (1.25–2.0 mg/L). Optimized rooting and acclimatization protocols produced robust, disease-free sugarcane plantlets, establishing genotype-specific shoot apical meristem culture as a solid foundation for large-scale propagation, germplasm preservation, and advanced biotechnological applications.
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Author Information
Faculty of Biotechnology, Mekelle Institute of Technology, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia