Pingping Lin1, Zhe Chai1, Run Huang1, Hengyan Zhang1, Cuiling Huang1, Jinlan Fang1, Qian You1,2, Zhetian Cui1, Jianping Wang2, Fan Yu1, Wei Yao1 and Muqing Zhang1
1Guangxi Key Laboratory for Sugarcane Biology & State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agri-Biological Resources, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530005, China; zmuqing@163.com
2Agronomy Department of University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Plant height is a critical agronomic trait influencing biomass accumulation, lodging resistance, and mechanized harvesting efficiency in sugarcane. However, the genetic and molecular mechanisms regulating height variation remain largely unexplored. This study investigates the interplay between gibberellin (GA) metabolism, cell-wall composition, and vascular development. Using QTL mapping and transcriptomic analysis, we identified 12 loci associated with plant height, explaining 4.34% to 12.74% of phenotypic variance. Dwarf plants exhibited excessive lignification, disrupted GA perception, and altered carbon partitioning. Functional validation of ScTPS2, a terpene synthase gene, demonstrated its role in GA biosynthesis, enhancing growth when overexpressed in rice. These findings provide mechanistic insights into sugarcane height regulation and inform targeted breeding strategies.