CAPSULE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT PROJECT PROPOSAL

(1) PROJECT PROFILE

Project Title: Enhanced Characterization and Evaluation of Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) Collection
using Diversity Array Technology Gearing to Development of Early Maturing Sugarcane Clones with
High Yield and Sucrose Content
Project Leader/Sex:
Agency: Speedy D. Crisostomo / Male
Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB),
College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS),
University of the Philippines Los Baños 4031
Address/Telephone/Fax/Email:

(2) COOPERATING AGENCY/IES

Feed and Industrial Crops Section (FIC),
Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB),
College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS),
University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB)
College, Laguna 4031

UPLB La Granja Research and Training Station (UPLB LGRTS)

College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS),
La Carlota, Negros Occidental

(3) SITE (S) OF IMPLEMENTATION (Municipality / District / Province / Region)

Base Station: Bacolod, Negros Occidental
Other Implementation Sites: Los Banos, Laguna

(4) R&D PRIORITY AREA & PROGRAM (Based on Harmonized National R&D Agenda (HNRDA)
2017-2022)
__X__ Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources
_____ Health
_____ Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology
_____ Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change
_____ Basic Research

(5) PROJECT SUMMARY (not to exceed three (3) pages)

Rationale:

Sugarcane is one of the Philippines’ top agricultural exports and a global player in cane sugar
production. Despite being one of the major sugar producer, Philippines has the lowest sugar yield with
113 Lkg/ha against to the top 3 producing countries in the world: Columbia producing 269 Lkg (2.38
times higher), Austraila, 243 Lkg/ha (2.15 times higher) and Brazil, 212 Lkg/ha (1.88 times more)
according to sugar yield data from Sugar Master Plan (2010). In Southeast Asia, Philippines is left
behind by Thailand in terms of sugar yield with 22% higher (25 Lkg/ha).

Philippine sugarcane productivity is continually dropping due to the severe weather disturbances such
as drought and tropical according to the Philippine Sugar Millers Association. In order to reduce its
environmental effect, new sugarcane varieties are needed to be developed to enhance sugar yield
potential. One of immediate solutions is to evaluate the commercially available sugarcane varieties
that will fill in the need of the sugarcane farmers or stakeholders to aid in decision what varieties to
plant to maximize its productivity.

(Name of the Company) as they partner with UPLB to improve the company’s productivity, seeks the
university’s expertise in their effort to advance their R and D capability. One possible avenue of
collaboration is to evaluate different accessions and released varieties of sugarcane and to identify
the varieties which would give the highest economic yield under the growing conditions of Bacolod,
Negros Occidental. Moreover, this works toward to develop new sugarcane varieties or technologies
that will facilitate in the growth of globally competitive sugarcane industry.

Objectives:
1. To characterize and evaluate sugarcane germplasm using the Diversity Array Technology
(DArT) for utilization in breeding
2. To develop sugarcane hybrid seeds/clones with early maturity, high yield and high sucrose

Methodology:

Agro-morphological and genetic characterization of germplasm collection

Sugarcane accessions will be collected from different parts of the Philippines and planted at the
Institute of Plant Breeding, UP Los Banos and/or UP La Granja Research and Training Station, La
Carlota, Negros Occidental as source populations. Saccharum species and some commercial
varieties will be requested and obtained from different local and international agencies with collections
of sugarcane to widen genetic base of the sugarcane breeding populations, and provide novel
sources of disease resistance and other important traits. These accessions will be maintained and
assessed for agro-morphological characterization based on its breeding potential, flowering potential
and fertility.

For the genetic diversity analysis, Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT) will be convenient
and cost-efficient platforms to identify various types of DNA polymorphism. DArT
array enabled efficient discovery of significant marker-trait associations and
informed decisions on initiating molecular breeding of sugarcane in Australia. Total
genomic DNA will be extracted from a young leaf tissues using a modified CTAB extraction method
(Doyle and Doyle, 1990) for DArT sequencing. Five nanogram of each sample will be sent to Australia
for DArT sequencing and genotyping. Once the data from the DArT sequencing are already
processed, it will be analyzed with the morphological and agronomic characters using R statistical
program to establish the genetic relatedness of the sugarcane accessions.

Development of hybrid seeds/clones

Parental population from the germplasm collection will be inspected to verify which genotypes are
flowering (visible panicles). Florets will be collected and pollen will be quantified and tested for viability
using iodine staining. This will help in choosing the genotype that will be used as male, and a pollen
fertility scale will be made to decide the direction of crosses.

The controlled biparental crossing will be done in a greenhouse facility to be established in UP Los
Banos. Crossing will be controlled by the crosses in a pollen-proof bag or crossing lantern, made of
premium quality cotton or polyester cloth. Female flowers will be placed in cloth bag and pollinated by
the accompanying male flowers to minimize the contamination from wind-borne pollen.

Once the flowers begin to break up, this signifies that the female flowers in a cross are already
mature. These will be collected in a nylon bag and dried to a low moisture content in a special cold
dehumidified seed drying facility. The flowers or fuzz containing the seed will be separated from the
flower branches when it is already dried. Seeds will be packed in special multi-laminate plastic and
aluminum foil packets that prevent moisture uptake by the seeds. These packets will be stored in a
larger freezer at -20°C.

Seed packets of selected crosses will be sent to UPLGRTS for the breeding programs. The seeds will
be germinated in a sterilized plant tray to establish original seedling populations which form the basis
of plant improvement activities. Some of the sugarcane seedlings will be transferred to field.
Remaining sugarcane seedlings showing shy flowering will be placed in photoperiod facilities to break
condition. This will help in specific cross combinations that cannot be made during field crossing by
controlling the day-length. Night temperature in the facility will be maintained at 22°C to 24°C to
maximise pollen fertility.
Target Accomplishments and Expected Outputs (6Ps):
Publication: At least 2 scientific articles will be published in a refereed journal and IEC material with
agro-morphological and genetic data of the sugarcane varieties will be drafted.

Patent: An NSIC registration/plant variety protection will be applied for the promising accession/
hybrids identified through this project.

Products: Promising sugarcane accessions or clones with early maturing sugarcane varieties with
high yield and sucrose content will be selected and developed through this project.

People services: This project will be training employees, stake holders.

Place and Partnership: MOU/MOA for public-private partnership

Policy: MOU/MOA stating the regulations on distributing the developed seeds/clones will finalized
and distributed to stakeholders.

Significance/Impact to knowledge advancement and to the society:

This project will provide significant information on the list of selected/developed early maturity
sugarcane varieties with high yield and high sucrose content. Using these identified varieties, it will
shorten the period of harvesting season, thus providing choices for farmers or stakeholders a more
efficient cropping season, diversified and sustainable sugarcane production in the Philippines.

(6) IMPLEMENTING SCHEDULE

Duration in months: 36
Planned Start Date (Month / Year): April 2020
Planned Completion date (Month / Year): March 2023

(7) BUDGET BY SOURCE (include Counterpart Funds)

SOURCE OF
PS MOOE EO TOTAL
FUND
Year 1 1,283,376.00 3,080,000.00 1,450,000.00 5,813,376.00
Year 2 1,283,376.00 2,980,000.00 - 4,263,376.00
Year 3 1,283,376.00 2,980,000.00 - 4,263,376.00
TOTAL 3,850,128.00 9,040,000.00 1,450,000.00 14,340,128.00
(8) OTHER ONGOING PROJECTS BEING HANDLED BY THE PROJECT LEADER: _____
(number)
Title of the Project Funding Agency Involvement in the Project
N/A N/A N/A

I hereby certify the truth of the foregoing. Any willful omission/false statement shall be a basis of
disapproval and cancellation of the project.
(9) SUBMITTED BY (Project Leader) ENDORSED BY (Head of the Agency)
Signature
Printed Name SPEEDY D. CRISOSTOMO RODEL G. MAGHIRANG
Designation/Title UNIVERSITY RESEARCH ASSOCIATE I DIRECTOR, IPB
Date JANUARY 20, 2020 JANUARY 20, 2020
Note: If the project is part of a program, this form should be submitted together with the capsule research and development program
proposal and one (1) curriculum vitae. See guidelines/definitions at the back. Use A4 size paper, Arial typeface 10 points or larger (smaller
size can be used for tables, graphs, mathematical formula, diagram caption, margin of 1” per side).
 PROJECT WORKPLAN

(1) Project Title: Enhanced Characterization and Evaluation of Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) Collection using Diversity Array Technology Gearing to
Development of Early Maturing Sugarcane Clone with High Yield and Sucrose Content

(2) Total Duration (in months): 36 months (3) Planned Start Date: April 2020 (4) Planned End Date: March 2023

(8) TARGET Y1 Y2 Y3
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
(6) OBJECTIVES (7) TARGET ACTIVITIES
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
(quantify, if possible)

Agro-morphological and genetic characterization and evaluation of sugarcane germplasm collection

To establish an updated germplasm collection of
sugarcane Establishment of the Sugarcane germplam
updated cassava collection
germplasm collection that
includes collection from
CIAT

Acquisition of sugarcane
germplasm collection from
SRA, PHILSURIN, ISSCT
etc.
To characterize sugarcane germplasm collection
using agronomic trait descriptors and molecular Agro-morphological Agro-morphological data of
marker characterization of sugarcane germplasm
sugarcane germplasm
collection

To determine the extent of genetic diversity DNA extraction of young Data on diversity of
of sugarcane collections using Diversity Array leaf samples of sugarcane using DarT
Technology (DArT) sugarcane using Doyle
and Doyle method
To identify promising accessions based on their Established nursery/field
agronomic traits data Planting of sugarcane germplasm collection
germplasm collection that
includes accessions from
SRA, PHILSURIN, ISSCT
etc.

To evaluate the yield and yield components Preliminary assessment Yield and yield
of the sugarcane for yield and yield component data and the
components of the sugarcane
sugarcane

Development of hybrid seeds by controlled crossing

To develop hybrid seeds of sugarcane
Identification of
flowering members of
the germplasm collection
Identified early maturing
accessions or varieties
with high yield and high
sucrose content

Hybridization of Developed hybrid seeds

sugarcane

Y1 Y2 Y3

(9) EXPECTED OUTPUTS (6Ps) (10) DETAILS (quantify, if possible)

Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

At least 2 scientific articles will be published in a refereed

Publications journal and IEC material with agro-morphological and
genetic data of the sugarcane varieties will be drafted
Patents/IP NSIC Registration/Plant Variety Protection
Promising sugarcane accessions or clones with early
Products maturing sugarcane varieties with high yield and sucrose
content will be selected and developed through this project
 People Services Training for employees, stake holders.

Places and Partnerships MOU/MOA for public-private partnership

MOU/MOA stating the regulations on distributing the
Policy developed seeds/clones will finalized and distributed to
stakeholders.