Analysis of combining ability and heritability of Saccharum spontaneum L.collected from low and middle altitude areas of Yunnan Province

[Objective]The present experiment was conducted to select Saccharum spontaneum L.clones with high combining ability and heritability and expand the sugarcane genetic diversity in breeding.[Method]Seven Saccharum spontaneum L.clones,collected from different altitudes of Yunnan Province were selected by using SSR molecular marker and backcrossed with sugarcane variety Dezhe 93-94.The broad-sense heritability and combining ability of six main economic traits,including plant height,stalk diameter,brix,millable stalk number,sugar yield and cane yield were calculated by R software.[Result]The results of variance showed that stalk diameter,sugar yield,cane yield,millable stalk number and plant height were highly significant,while the brix was significant.The broad-sense heritability of all combinations was excellent and found over 67.0%.The special combining ability of two combinations viz.,Dezhe 93-94×Yunge 82-114 and Dezhe 93-94×Yunnan 1 showed positive effects on plant height,millable stalk number,sugar yield and cane yield.The special combining ability of Dezhe 93-94×Ruige 07-3,Dezhe 93-94×Ruige 06-7-3 showed positive effects on stalk diameter,sugar yield and cane yield.The special combining ability of Dezhe 93-94×Yunge 83-184 and Dezhe 93-94×Yunge 83-174 showed positive effects on millable stalk number.[Conclusion]The Saccharum spontaneum L.clones such as Yunge 82-114,Ruige 07-30,Ruige 06-7-3 and Yunnan 1,which were selected from low and middle altitude areas of Yunnan showed tremendous heritability and combining ability of cane and sugar yield,while Yunnan 1,Yunge 83-174 and Yunge 83-184 showed great heritability and combining ability of millable stalk number,therefore,may be used for developing innovative parents as required in breeding.