Genetic transformation of sugarcane and field performance of transgenic sugarcane

Abstract

Sugarcane is an important industrial cash crop contributing more than 70% of the sugar and 40% of biofuel production globally. The complex polyploid-aneuploid type of genome of sugarcane makes it difficult to generate hybrids through conventional breeding programs. Thus, genetic improvement of sugarcane through transgenic approaches has fascinated the attention of most biotechnologists around the world. Moreover, plant biotechnology has the potential to improve economically important traits in sugarcane as well as diversify sugarcane beyond traditional applications such as sucrose production. Although being a recalcitrant species for transformation, several advances have been made in the area of sugarcane transformation. Traits such as disease resistance, improved tolerance to salt and drought, and increased sucrose content through metabolic engineering and expression of recombinant proteins (biopharming) have been some of the areas which appear promising as far as the application of transgenic sugarcane is concerned. Stability of the transgene expression is another major bottleneck when transforming a polyploid crop like sugarcane. This chapter will help to focus on the efficient molecular tools and improved transgenic methodologies used during sugarcane transformation in addition to the field performance of transgenic sugarcane.