Molecular Plant Breeding 2024, Vol.15, No.5, 269-281 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/mpb 276 9 Case Study: Breeding and Cultivation Success in Brazil 9.1 Overview of Brazil as a leading sugarcane producer Brazil stands as the world’s largest producer of sugarcane, significantly contributing to the global supply of sugar and ethanol. In the 2019~2020 crop season, Brazil produced an impressive 642.7 million tons of sugarcane over an area of 8.44 million hectares. The country’s leadership in sugarcane production is underpinned by a long history of breeding programs and the continuous release of superior cultivars, which have driven yield improvements over the past decades (Figure 3) (Cursi et al., 2021). Additionally, Brazil’s sugarcane industry plays a crucial role in the global bioenergy market, with sugarcane being a major source of ethanol, a renewable biofuel (Bordonal et al., 2018). Figure 3 Sugarcane breeding programs and sugarcane germplasm collections in Brazil (Adopted from Cursi et al., 2021) 9.2 Strategies adopted in Brazilian sugarcane breeding programs Brazilian sugarcane breeding programs have employed a variety of strategies to enhance productivity and sustainability. Traditional breeding methods have been complemented by modern biotechnological approaches, including molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS) and genomic selection (GS). These advanced techniques have enabled more precise and efficient breeding, leading to the development of cultivars with improved traits such as disease resistance, higher sugar content, and better adaptability to diverse environmental conditions (Yadav et al., 2020; Budeguer et al., 2021; Luo et al., 2023). One notable strategy is the integration of high-throughput phenotyping and genotyping, which allows for the accurate selection of elite clones with desirable traits. This approach has been instrumental in overcoming the challenges posed by the complex polyploid genome of sugarcane (Luo et al., 2023). Additionally, the use of endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria has reduced the need for nitrogen fertilizers, further enhancing the sustainability of sugarcane cultivation in Brazil (Baldani et al., 2002). 9.3 Impact of modern breeding techniques on yield, sustainability, and biofuel production The adoption of modern breeding techniques has had a profound impact on sugarcane yield, sustainability, and biofuel production in Brazil. Over the past 40 years, sugarcane breeding programs have contributed to an average annual increase of 155.7 kg/ha in sugar yield, with about half of this gain attributed to breeding efforts (Cursi et al., 2021). The implementation of genomic selection has the potential to further accelerate genetic gains by reducing breeding cycle lengths and increasing the accuracy of trait selection (Yadav et al., 2020; Mahadevaiah et al., 2021).
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