Effect of explanting season on morphogenesis of leaf sheath explants of sugarcane (Saccharum sp.) hybrid var. CoS 99259

Leaf sheath explants of sugarcane variety CoS99259 were inoculated on agar gelled Murashige and Skoog’ (MS) medium containing 2,4-D (3mg/l), for callus proliferation every month. The highest callus formation (62.7%) was recorded in explants inoculated in the month of March, followed by October (59.5%), April (52.4%), November (41.3%) and September (42.3%). Explants collected during December, January and February showed poor growth and were white, loose, mucilaginous and often non-embryogenic. The actively growing calli obtained from explants inoculated in different months were transferred to agar gelled MS shoot regeneration medium. The best shoot regeneration was recorded from the calli developed from explants inoculated in March (58.2%) followed by October, April and November. Shoot regeneration could be achieved at lower frequencies from the explants inoculated in December, January, February and May to August.