Physio-biochemical variability in a set of sugarcane genotypes under different temperature conditions Jain R.*, Giri P. ICAR-Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow - 226 002, Uttar Pradesh, India *Corresponding author Email: radha_dinesh@yahoo.co.in
Online Published on 24 January, 2024. Abstract The present investigation was aimed to study the genetic variability among sugarcane genotypes for physio-biochemical attributes under different temperature regimes at early growth stage in autumn planted crop. Growth characteristics including leaf number, length, width and area and fresh weight of leaf, stalk, root, membrane permeability (PM), and biochemical attributes; chlorophyll, carotenoids, anthocyanin, malondialdehyde (MDA), proline contents were determined during low temperature condition in the months of January (mean 5.35°C), February (13.5°C) and March (20.8°C) in 2023. Results obtained indicated gradual increase in growth attributes, photosynthetic pigments and fresh weight of different plant parts with rise in minimum temperature, highest was at 20.8°C in March. In contrast to growth attributes, PM, proline, MDA and anthocyanin contents decreased with rise in temperature, highest was at 5.35°C and lowest at 20.8°C in March. Anthocyanin was markedly high at a very low temperature of 5.35°C. High anthocyanin and proline may help in resistance to low temperature stress. Chl/Caro ratio and SPAD index determined in three genotypes during different temperature regimes indicated a rising trend with increase in temperature and decreasing trend by anthocyanin/Chl ratio. Findings suggested accumulation of anthocyanin, MDA and proline contents due to low temperature stress (at 5.35°C) in the month of January in all the genotypes tested; genotype CoLk 16201 showed highest anthocyanin content which may be used as low temperature tolerant genetic material by the sugarcane breeder in breeding programme. While the photosynthetic pigments and growth attributes were found to be maximum (at 20.8°C) during March showing an increasing growth rate with a rise in temperature. Top Keywords Sugarcane, Anthocyanin, Photosynthetic pigments, Temperature stress. Top |