Molecular Plant Breeding 2025, Vol.16, No.3, 156-164 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/mpb 156 Review Article Open Access Application of Genome Editing in Sugarcane for Sugar Production: CRISPR/Cas9-Based Precision Improvement of Sugar Accumulation and Stress Tolerance Jianli Zhong Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China Corresponding email: jianli.zhong@hibio.org Molecular Plant Breeding, 2025, Vol.16, No.3 doi: 10.5376/mpb.2025.16.0016 Received: 10 Apr., 2025 Accepted: 15 May, 2025 Published: 25 May, 2025 Copyright © 2025 Zhong, 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: Zhong J.L., 2025, Application of genome editing in sugarcane for sugar production: CRISPR/Cas9-based precision improvement of sugar accumulation and stress tolerance, Molecular Plant Breeding, 16(3): 156-164 (doi: 10.5376/mpb.2025.16.0016) Abstract This study explored the application of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology in sugarcane improvement, which increased the sugar content and stress recovery ability of sugarcane. Sugarcane is an important crop for sugar production and bioenergy production. Its productivity and quality are limited by environmental challenges and the complexity of its genetic structure. The polyploid characteristics of sugarcane are facing huge challenges. However, the emergence of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology provides precise tools to address these limitations, improving sugar metabolism and enhancing resistance to various stresses. The integration of multi-omics technologies and the pursuit of transgenic editing techniques have expanded the application scope of genome editing in sugarcane. Integrate multi-omics analysis and emerging gene editing tools in the future precise improvement research of sugarcane, a sugar crop, to promote the improvement of sugarcane varieties and the sustainable development of the industry. Keywords Sugarcane; CRISPR/Cas9; Genome editing; Sugar accumulation; Stress tolerance 1 Introduction As one of the major crops worldwide, sugarcane can provide bioenergy and sugar. The wide application of sugarcane in the food and processing industries supports the agricultural economy (Hussin et al., 2022; Krishna et al., 2023). As the global demand for sugar and biofuels continues to grow, the cultivation of sugarcane is becoming increasingly common, and increasing sugar production is also crucial (Krishna et al., 2023). Farmers are facing huge challenges. Pests, diseases and harsh environmental conditions, such as drought, saline-alkali soil or extreme weather, may significantly affect the yield of sugarcane (Li et al., 2022; Krishna et al., 2023). Furthermore, climate change and new stress factors have exacerbated these problems, leading to a decline in the stability of crops (Li et al., 2022; Krishna et al., 2023). Although traditional breeding methods are helpful, their progress is slow and the improvement results are usually small (Abdelrahman et al., 2018; Muha-Ud-Din et al., 2023). This study will explore the precise modification of sugarcane genes by CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology to cultivate new sugarcane germplasm that stores more sugar and has better resistance. Relying on the high-precision and high-efficiency features of CRISPR/Cas9 technology, it can promote the sustainable development of agricultural production and also solve the regulatory issues related to genetically modified crops. This study will also explore this method that combines modern gene editing technology with traditional breeding. The application of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology is equivalent to injecting “technological impetus” into traditional breeding, accelerating the breeding speed of sugarcane resistant varieties, and improving the breeding efficiency and success rate. 2 Sugar Metabolism and Genetic Characteristics of Sugarcane 2.1 Key mechanisms of sugar accumulation Sugarcane is one of the main sources of sugar and bioenergy. The core of the economic value of sugarcane lies in the accumulation process of sugar. The accumulation of sugar in sugarcane involves complex metabolic pathways.
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