Journal of Energy Bioscience 2025, Vol.16, No.1, 13-20 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/jeb 13 Research Insight Open Access Phylogenetic Analysis of Sugarcane for Sugar Production: Population Structure and Adaptive Evolution Based on Whole-Genome Data Mengting Luo 1,2 1 Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China 2 Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, Sanya, 572000, Hainan, China Corresponding email: mengting.luo@jicat.org Journal of Energy Bioscience, 2025, Vol.16, No.1 doi: 10.5376/jeb.2025.16.0002 Received: 03 Dec., 2024 Accepted: 04 Jan., 2024 Published: 12 Jan., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Luo, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Luo M.T., 2025, Phylogenetic analysis of sugarcane for sugar production: population structure and adaptive evolution based on whole-genome data, Journal of Energy Bioscience, 16(1): 13-20 (doi: 10.5376/jeb.2025.16.0002) Abstract Based on genome-wide data, the phylogenetic relationships, population structure and adaptive evolution characteristics of Saccharum spp. were analyzed. The results showed that there was high genetic diversity between species and species, and the modern cultivated species was derived from multiple interspecific hybridization and polyploidy events, especially the genes of S. officinarumand S. spontaneum. This study revealed the genetic basis and evolutionary process of sugar yield traits such as sucrose content, stem weight and stem yield, and determined the genetic relationships among different varieties through phylogenetic and population structure analysis. This study provided a scientific basis for the genetic improvement of important agronomic traits of sugarcane, the formulation of precise breeding strategies and the efficient use of diverse germplasm resources. Keywords Sugarcane; Phylogenetic analysis; Population structure; Adaptive evolution; Whole-genome data 1 Introduction Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is the main source of sugar and also plays an important role in the production of bioethanol. Garsmeur et al. (2018), Guo (2024) and Li et al. (2024) found that sugarcane accounts for about 80% of the global sugar supply, indicating that the economic value of sugarcane is great. Yadav et al. (2020) and Xiong et al. (2022) argue that the advantages of sugarcane, such as its adaptability to tropical and subtropical climates, sugar supply, and feedstock for bioenergy and other by-product industries, make it a major crop in the agricultural economy in some regions. Sugarcane has a complex polyploid genome made up of the genetic components of multiple species, such as Saccharum officinarumand S. spontaneum(Jannoo et al., 2007; Thirugnanasambandam et al., 2018; Zhang and Yang, 2024). Because of the complexity of this genome, advanced genetic and genomic approaches are needed to enhance the agronomic traits of sugarcane, such as sucrose content, sugarcane resistance to environmental stress, etc. (Mahadevaiah et al., 2021; Li et al., 2024). Yang et al. (2018) and Xiong et al. (2022) demonstrated that phylogenetic analysis is very helpful in revealing the genetic diversity and evolutionary history of sugarcane, and thus in formulating efficient breeding strategies. Relevant studies have proved that researchers can identify genetic markers and key traits helpful for variety improvement by analyzing the population structure and adaptive evolution of sugarcane through whole-genome data (Grivet and Arruda, 2002; Ngaklunchon et al., 2023). Through phylogenetic analysis of sugarcane with whole genome data, this study elaborated the population structure and adaptive evolution of sugarcane, more clearly understood the genetic basis of sugarcane sugar production traits, and provided a scientific basis for identifying potential genetic resources in breeding. The aim of this study is to improve the efficiency of sugarcane breeding, promote the increase of sugarcane sugar yield and the sustainability of related industries. 2 Taxonomy and Origin of Sugarcane 2.1 Classification within the Saccharumgenus Sugarcane belongs to genus Saccharum of Poaceae family. Saccharum is noted for complex hybridization characteristics involving Saccharum officinarum and Saccharum spontaneum, as well as several other species.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==