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Temperature and Relative Humidity Effects on Sugarcane Flowering Ability and Pollen Viability Under Natural and Seminatural Conditions

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Abstract

Flowering of sugarcane genotypes is important for the breeding program, but flowering is highly affected by environmental conditions. Field experiments were conducted at Sugarcane Field Station (26.52°N and 80.36°W), Canal Point, Florida, USA, during the 2015–2016 season, to explore the flowering behavior of 12 sugarcane genotypes under natural and seminatural environments concerning the effects of temperature and % relative humidity on the pollen viability to find out the best stable ones in flowering to be used in the breeding program. There were critical 57 days under the natural condition with a night temperature of ≤ 20 °C during the sensitive floral tip and full emergence period. This led to a reduction in pollen viability percentage and % pollen germination percentages. Moreover, the flowering intensity was very much reduced. On another hand, there were no appreciable differences in relative humidity % in the same floral stages. The total flowering plants decreased under natural compared with seminatural conditions. The results showed that the tested genotypes varied significantly in all traits. The interaction of genotypes × treatments interaction had a significant effect on most studied traits. Most of the Houma cane genotypes such as HO11-512, HOCP12-643, and HOCP01-517 showed stable flowering and % pollen viability than CP genotypes and L ones (CPO4-1935, CPO8-2506, L11-187, and L09-112) under both conditions. The study suggests the genotypes are stable in flowering to use them in the breeding program.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to Dr. Jack Comstock and Dr. Duli Zhao for providing the facilities and encouragement to carry out this study. We are very thankful to Biological Science, Technician, Moaiad Kanaan and also to Biological Science, Technician, Kay McCorkle for their help in collecting the meteorological data. Special thanks is due to Dr. Abdullah El-Shafai for his help and suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Breeding and Genetics Department, Sugar Crops Research Institute, ARC, Giza, Egypt

    Farrag F. B. Abu-Ellail

  2. USDA-ARS, Sugarcane Field Station, Canal Point, FL, USA

    Per H. McCord

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  1. Farrag F. B. Abu-Ellail
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  2. Per H. McCord
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Correspondence to Farrag F. B. Abu-Ellail.

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Abu-Ellail, F.F.B., McCord, P.H. Temperature and Relative Humidity Effects on Sugarcane Flowering Ability and Pollen Viability Under Natural and Seminatural Conditions. Sugar Tech 21, 83–92 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-018-0644-9

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