EFFECT OF PHOTOPERIODIC TREATMENT ON TASSELING IN SUGARCANE

Abstract

Eight flowering genotypes such as Isd 25 and I 325-86 from early, Co 1148 and BC3 from mid, Isd 24 and I 233-87 from late, and Isd 20 and Isd 26 from sparse-flowering groups were considered to determine the effect of photoperiodic treatment on tasseling in sugarcane. For this purpose, three photoperiod lengths 12.15, 12.30 and 12.45hrs were used continuously for one month and then reduced one minute per day until it reached to 11.30hrs day length. The respective numbers of days of the treatments were 75, 90 and 105. Another set of the eight varieties were maintained in natural condition as control. The characters considered were number of days to flower initiation, number of days from flower initiation to flag leaf, number of days from flag leaf to tip emergence, total number of days to tip emergence, number of days to 50% flowering and number of days to full flowering. It was observed that the genotypes I 325-86 from early-flowering group and both the clones Co 1148 and BC3 from mid-flowering group responded for all the characters in all the regimes of treatment used. Among the four treatments (including control), the performance of flowering under control condition was very poor, performance of 12.15hrs day length was not satisfactory while the performance of 12.30 and 12.45hrs day length was very good. Considering from all sides, 12.30hrs day length was found most suitable followed by 12.45hrs.