ASSESSMENT OF MODERN SUGARCANE VARIETIES FOR ROOT CHARACTERISTICS UNDER HYDROPONIC CONDITION

Abstract

Root system development is a key determinant of early seedling vigour, nutrient acquisition, water uptake and subsequent cane productivity in sugarcane. The present hydroponic study evaluated eight sugarcane varieties, namely Co 86032, CoM 0265, CoVSI 03102, VSI 08005, MS 10001, CoVSI 18121, PDN 15012 and PDN 13007, under controlled polyhouse conditions at Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Pune. Uniform one month old settlings were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with three replications up to the formative phase. Root length, shoot length and root:shoot length ratio were recorded at 60 and 90 days, while root cation exchange capacity (CEC) was estimated at 120 days. At 60 days, CoM 0265 recorded the highest root length (30.93 ± 3.31 cm), followed by MS 10001 (28.03 ± 2.83 cm). At 90 days, PDN 13007 (43.88 ± 3.01 cm), VSI 08005 (42.82 ± 10.67 cm) and MS 10001 (40.90 ± 3.75 cm) showed superior root elongation. VSI 08005 recorded the highest shoot length at 90 days (137.22 ± 15.08 cm), whereas CoVSI 03102 recorded the highest root CEC (126.67 ± 1.92 cmol(+) kg-1). The observed varietal differences demonstrate that this simple hydroponic approach can support easy and early screening of sugarcane genotypes for root vigour and root traits associated with drought adaptation.