Sorghum genome sequence helps researchers with sugarcane genome

In France, researchers from the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development worked on sequencing and assembling fragments of sugarcane chromosomes into the first monoploid reference of the gene-rich part of the sugarcane genome. The project was part of a proposal by the DOE’s Joint BioEnergy Institute.

“Their approach relied in part on having a sequence for sugarcane’s relative sorghum, a JGI Plant Flagship Genome sequence, and knowing that there was a high level of colinearity between the two crops, which meant most genes in sorghum occurred roughly in the same order in sugarcane,” according to Phys.org. “Among the numerous benefits expected from a genome sequence are better understanding the roles of genes in traits such as sucrose accumulation and disease, as well as targeting genes to improve biomass and sugar yield for biofuel production.”