Sugarcane genetics: Underlying theory and practical application
Hengbo Wang,
Yong-Bao Pan,
Mingxing Wu,
Junhong Liu,
Shiwei Yang,
Qibin Wu,
Youxiong Que
Affiliations
Hengbo Wang
Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agriculture, Instrumental Analysis Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, China
Yong-Bao Pan
USDA-ARS, Sugarcane Research Unit, Houma, LA 70360, USA
Mingxing Wu
Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agriculture, Instrumental Analysis Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, China
Junhong Liu
Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agriculture, Instrumental Analysis Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, China
Shiwei Yang
Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agriculture, Instrumental Analysis Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, China
Qibin Wu
Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agriculture, Instrumental Analysis Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, China; National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Sanya 572024, Hainan, China; National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kaiyuan 661600, Yunnan, China
Youxiong Que
Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agriculture, Instrumental Analysis Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, China; National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Sanya 572024, Hainan, China; National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kaiyuan 661600, Yunnan, China; Corresponding author.
Sugarcane is recognized as the fifth largest crop globally, supplying 80% of sugar and 40% of bioenergy production. However, sugarcane genetic research has significantly lagged behind other crops due to its complex genetic background, high ploidy (8–13×), aneuploidy, limited flowering, and a long growth cycle (more than one year). Cross breeding began in 1887 following the discovery that sugarcane seeds could germinate. Both self- and cross-pollination and selection were conducted by sugarcane breeders, but new cultivars were often eliminated due to disease susceptibility. Within the Saccharum genus, different species possess variable numbers of chromosomes. Wild sugarcane species intercrossed with each other, leading to development of the ‘Nobilization’ breeding strategy, which significantly improved yield, sucrose, fiber content, and disease resistance, and accelerated genetic improvement of cultivars. In recent years, scientific achievements have also been made in sugarcane genome sequencing, molecular marker development, genetic linkage map construction, localization of quantitative trait locus (QTL), and trait-associated gene identification. This review focuses on the progress in sugarcane genetic research, analyzes the technical difficulties faced, presents opportunities and challenges, and provides guidance and references for future sugarcane genetics research and cultivar breeding. Finally, it offers directions for future on sugarcane genetics.
