Author(s): Belete Getnet, Kassahun Bantte and Mulugeta Diro
Most developing countries are hesitated in maximizing tissue culture technology due to the overhead costs involved. Therefore, this research was initiated to evaluate alternative cheap carbon sources and energy in culture media in order to reduce production input costs of sugarcane in vitro propagation. The experiment was carried out in completely randomized design (CRD) with 2 × 6 factorial treatment arrangements of genotypes and carbon source in combination. The interaction analysis of genotypes and table sugar concentration significantly influenced in vitro sugarcane multiplication. On MS medium with 50 gl-1 table sugar, B4906 gave the highest (13.42 ± 0.29) shoots, whereas Pr1013 produced a maximum of 7.78 ± 0.19 shoots at 60 gl-1 table sugar. However, 40 gl-1 table sugar was optimum to produce usable and separable shoots for further subculture of multiplication. Accordingly results showed that table sugar not only enhanced multiplication but also significantly reduced the production input costs by 94.89% when compared with the analytical grade sucrose.
