INITIATIVES TOWARDS MAINTENANCE, IMPROVEMENT AND UTILISATION OF SUGARCANE GERMPLASM IN FIJI

THE SUGARCANE GERMPLASM in Fiji is maintained by Sugar Research Institute of Fiji and it has undergone a major review in 2009 in consultation with Dr. M. Krishnamurthi, ex-director and breeder, Fiji Sugar Corporation Sugarcane Research Centre (FSCSCRC). The steps taken were identifying varieties of breeding significance based on their parentage and the experience of the consultant; verifying the status of the clones in the existing field collection; restoring and re-planting the clones available; conducting new collections (local and international); importing varieties; and developing parental lines with Erianthus and S. robustum. A total of 3675 varieties (60%) from the total 6108 calculated from the field plans were identified for restoration and 2220 have been re-planted. The remainder will undergo molecular verification by means of DNA fingerprinting before being re-planted. A local collection of noble canes was carried out in 2009 and 76 accessions were planted at the breeding site at Dobuilevu together with 43 S. officinarum clones and 103 wild canes from the Berding and Koike collection of 1977 and commercial hybrid collections. These are being extensively used to make experimental crosses for parental line development, and a total of 828 experimental crosses for parental line development have been made so far since 2009. Of these, 177 were with Erianthus arundinaceous, and the remainder were with S. robustum and varieties of IJ/IK origin. In addition, 59 backcrosses were made in 2011 using the intergeneric hybrid progeny from experimental crosses made in 2009, and germination tests are underway. On the other hand, 15 varieties have been imported from BSES Limited (Australia) and 10 from MSIRI (Mauritius) via a variety exchange program and will soon be included in the germplasm and breeding plots. The proven progenies from the experimental and backcrosses will also be included in the germplasm to broaden the gene pool. This paper discusses the initiatives taken towards improvement and utilisation of sugarcane germplasm in Fiji, taking special consideration of the achievements and work carried out in the past.