Sugarcane variety YZ05-51 with high yield and strong resistance: breeding and cultivation perspectives.

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp), a significant cash crop in the tropics and subtropics, accounts for 80% of sugar and 40% of bioethanol in the world. In China, it is also a prominent sugar crop, with cane sugar contributing to over 85% of sugar production. In recent years, there has been a notable shift towards drier slopes in Chinese sugarcane cultivation, resulting in significant ecological changes. Over the past two decades, scientists have developed the theory of high-heterogeneous composite high-yield and high-sugar breeding, leading to the successful breeding of the fifthgeneration sugarcane varieties, among which YZ05-51 is a representative one. It was developed by the Sugarcane Research Institute (YSRI) of Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Originating from a cross between YC90-56 and ROC23, YZ05-51 demonstrates several excellent agronomic traits, such as high yield, high sugar, strong stress resistance, and wide adaptability, particularly thriving in dry slope conditions. By 2023, cultivation of YZ05-51 has reached approximately 31,947 hectare, constituting 12.13% of the total cultivated area in Yunnan province. This variety has even surpassed previous records for sugarcane yield in non-irrigated areas, achieving a remarkable yield of 138 tons per hectare (t/ha). To summarize experience and inspire innovation, here the insights into the breeding logic and genetic characteristics of YZ05-51 are detailed. Further, the biological mechanisms underlying its agronomic traits were investigated through the integration of transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis. The challenges and prospects were also discussed, setting up the basis for the breeding and promotion of newly bred sugarcane varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]