Assessment of Biochemical Markers in Differentiating Sugarcane Genotypes for Salt Tolerance

Sugarcane belonging to the genus Saccharum grown both in tropical and subtropical region is an important commercial crop. Modern sugarcane genotypes are derived largely from intercrossing of first mobilized hybrids and their progenies. A pot culture experiment was conducted to assess the effect of salt stress on sugarcane genotypes. Ten sugarcane genotypes viz, Co-94012, CoC-671, Co-740, CoM-0265, Co-86032, Co-9012, CoC-08026, CoM-08086, CoM-08011 and MS-08002, cultivated in three varying soil conditions viz., normal, saline and sodic soils were evaluated for the effect of salt stress on parameters such as proline, glycine betaine, soluble protein contents, nitrate reductase activity and pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase activity. The analysis showed that the increased accumulation of proline, glycine betaine, soluble protein and increased activity of pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase activity in sodic soil can be used as biochemical markers to screen the promising genotypes for salt tolerance in sugarcane.