Validation of the effectiveness of an emaculation treatment in sugarcane by using molecular markers

PERERA, M. F.; GARCÍA, M. B.; DÍAZ ROMERO, C.; CUENYA, M. I.; FILIPPONE, M. P. Y CASTAGNARO, A. P

Congreso; XXVIII ISSCT Congress; 2013

Male or female parental genotypes in sugarcane are classified based on the relative amount of viable pollen. Genotype and environmental conditions can determine a high pollen production reducing ¡°female inflorescence¡± availability which restricts the possibility of several cross combinations. However, male parents could be employed as female parents, without the risk of selfing, when an efficient emasculation treatment, based on hot water treatment (immersion of the panicle in water at 50¨¬C for 5 minutes), is used. To determine the effectiveness of the emasculation treatment, six cross combinations between two varieties commonly used as males, LCP85-384 and RA87-3, were evaluated by using simple sequence repeats markers (SSRs). After the emasculation, viable pollen absence was confirmed, compared to pollen from plants without treatment, in both varieties. Crosses were performed successfully, and no viable seeds were obtained when LCP85-384 and RA87-3 were emasculated and selfed, respectively. The SSR primer pair used produced seven polymorphic and three monomorphic bands between the progenitors. Mendelian segregation analysis showed that each marker segregated in each cross combination (¥ö2 tests, P¡Â0.05). The results indicate that emasculation treatment was successful for both varieties, did not cause serious reduction in stigma and ovary viability, and it will allow the expansion of bi-parental crosses. In addition, the use of the SSR technique allowed assessment of the fidelity of sugarcane crosses.