K.A. Wahjudi1) and S. Lamadji1)

Study on the growth inhibition of in-vitro sugarcane germplasm conservation has been done at the Indonesian Sugar Research Institute, Pasuruan. The objective of the study was to develop an in-vitro conservation technique suitable for high temperature of the incubation room condition. Shoot apical meristem and apical buds from either 3 - 4 months old of sugarcane shoot or from 1 - 1.5 months old of seedlings were used as the explant sources. Shoot initiation utilized MS media + 0.2 ppm BAP + 0.1 ppm kinetin + 150 ppm PVP. The growing shoots were transfered to the rooting media + 1.0 ppm NAA. The intact young plants then were transfered on to preserve media consisting of half MS media containing several osmotic inhibitors agents, and conserved in the incubation room conditioned at 25 oC within 16 hours photoperiod. Results on the observation of the survival rate and the growth condition of plants after 5 months showed that half MS media + 2 % manittol was the best media for in vitro sugarcane germplasm conservation.

Key words: Sugarcane, in-vitro conservation, slow growth, osmotic inhibitor.