Sugarcane seed production- Indian Scenario
J Singh1, Rajesh Singh2
1Division of
Crop Improvement, Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow -226 002
2Genetics and
Plant Breeding, IAS, BHU, Varanasi-221005
Received:
23 August 2015 Revised
Accepted: 25 October 2015
ABSTRACT
India
is the largest producer of sugar in the world. In terms of sugarcane
production, India and Brazil are almost equally placed. In Brazil, out of the
total cane available for crushing, 45% goes for sugar production and 55% for
the production of ethanol directly from sugarcane juice. This gives the sugar
industry in Brazil an additional flexibility to adjust its sugar production
keeping in view the sugar price in the international market as nearly 40% of
the sugar output is exported. The annual
projected growth rate in the area under sugarcane at 1.5% per annum has doubled
during the last five years. This is because it is considered to be an assured
cash crop with good returns to the farmers vis-a-vis other competing crops. A supply of good quality low cost seed
can be an effective means of improving production; even in the absence of new
and better varieties, adequate supplies of reliable seed of existing varieties
would have a favorable effect. In addition the effect of plant breeding on
production will depend on the efficiency of seed distribution: only if the
improved varieties reach the farmer through a reliable seed distribution
channel will be able to use them effectively to produce more.
Key Words: Micro-propagation, Seed production, Sugar, Sugarcane, Tissue culture