COMPARISONS OF ANATOMICAL TRAITS IN DIFFERENT LEAF POSITIONS OF DIVERSE SETS OF SUGARCANE GENOTYPES

Abstract

Research on appropriate leaf positions in diverse sugarcane genotypes is crucial due to the significance of leaf anatomical characteristics in determining plant adaptability. This study aimed to compare the anatomical traits among the varied leaf positions within a tiller and tillers under normal conditions. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) setup used four replications. Four commercial canes, two wild types, and three F1 interspecific hybrids underwent examination on leaf thickness (LT), cuticle thickness percentage (CT%), vertical length bulliform cell percentage (VBC%), and stomatal crypt depth percentage (SCD%) across 1st to 5th leaf positions on main, first, and second tillers. The 1st to 5th leaf positions had no differences when compared within the tiller in commercial and wild cultivars for LT, CT%, VBC%, and SCD% traits, and F1 hybrids demonstrated no variation in CT% and VBC% traits. The LT, SCD, and CT of commercial canes had a high proportion, and VBC had a slender shape and a large size. Inversely, the wild type had a low LT but high SCD and CT and a circular shape with a small size VBC. Leaf anatomy in the F1 hybrid resembled the wild type, and leaf positions 1st to 3rd were not different among tillers, but the 4th and 5th leaf positions differed. Therefore, anatomical trait collection should continue among 1st to 3rd leaf positions for all sugarcane types. Moreover, the 1st to 3rd leaf positions within the 1st and 2nd tillers can represent the anatomical performance of the main tiller in commercial cane cultivars