A sum of Rs 14.69 lakh had been released by the Commissioner of Sugar, Chennai for the implementation of the project for the year 1999-2000, out of a total outlay of Rs 274.66 lakh allocation for 10 year period, University Vice-Chancellor, Prof Kannaiyan said.

The project envisaged conventional breeding approach with three separate objectives, he said in a press release here. A large volume of variability of cane quality and resistance to Red Rot disease would be created every year and the clones would be subjected to vigorous screening for the disease at every stage of its testing, besides undertaking pathotypes study and survey of the disease in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, Kannaiyan said.

Sugarcane research station at Cuddalore has already undertaken research on this aspect, with financial assistance from sugarcane cess fund, and has 72 clones of sugarcane under advanced stages of testing for cane yield, quality and resistance to Red Rot disease, he said.