Sugarcane viral diseases: Epidemiology, detection, and advanced breeding methods for resistance.
Yin Y, Wang M, Sun Y, Zhao P, Ye J
Crispr
Sugarcane viruses quietly erode the sugar and ethanol in every stalk harvested, meaning the price you pay for sugar, rum, and biofuel is partly a tax on diseases scientists are now racing to eliminate with gene-editing technology.
Sugarcane plants are vulnerable to a range of viruses that reduce both their size and sugar content, costing farmers enormous amounts of money globally. Scientists have been developing smarter ways to detect these viruses early—including tools borrowed from COVID testing technology—and are now using gene editing and computer-assisted plant breeding to grow sugarcane that can fight off infection on its own. This review maps out everything we currently know and highlights the biggest gaps still to be filled before truly disease-resistant sugarcane becomes a reality.
Key Findings
Multiple major viral pathogens threaten sugarcane yield and sucrose content, causing substantial and quantifiable global economic losses.
Detection technologies have advanced from traditional immunoassays to CRISPR-based diagnostics and high-throughput sequencing, enabling faster and more accurate virus discovery.
Modern resistance strategies—including RNAi gene silencing, CRISPR/Cas genome editing, marker-assisted selection, and AI-driven multi-omics approaches—are being integrated into a practical roadmap for sustainable sugarcane virus control.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A comprehensive review examines how viral diseases devastate sugarcane crops worldwide, then maps out cutting-edge tools—from CRISPR gene editing to AI-assisted breeding—that could help farmers grow virus-resistant sugarcane and protect global sugar supplies.
Abstract Preview
Sugarcane viruses threaten yield and sucrose content, imposing substantial global economic losses. This review provides current knowledge on the major sugarcane pathogens, with a focus on virus bio...
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