Global Genomic Study Traces the Domestication and Spread of Sugarcane

A new paper titled ‘The genomic footprints of wild Saccharum species trace domestication, diversification, and modern breeding of sugarcane’ published in Cell by Olivier Garsmeur et al. analysed 390 sugarcane varieties.

• Samples came from Australia, Brazil, China, France, French Polynesia, India, Japan, and the US, showcasing the crop’s global diversity.
• Sugarcane varieties analysed were highly polyploid, meaning they contained multiple sets of chromosomes.
• This polyploidy evolved due to intensive commercial transport and breeding, as sugarcane was moved across regions and countries including Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia.

Importance of Sugarcane

• Known primarily as a cash crop for sugar, it is also a major raw material for bioethanol production, a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels used in public and private transport.
• It is the backbone of India’s second-largest agro-based industry after textiles.
• Traditional medicine systems in China, India, and Pakistan have long used sugarcane in therapeutic preparations.

Sugarcane Production in India

• India is among the world’s largest sugarcane producers, with cultivation spread across 13 States.
• Top 5 producing States (2018–19 to 2023–24):
  Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat.
• Total production in 2024–25 was around 4,400 lakh tonnes.

Botanical Characteristics

• Origin: Papua New Guinea.
• Family: Graminaceae (Poaceae).
• Genus: Saccharum.
• Type of plant: C4 plant, like maize and sorghum.
• C4 physiology allows it to:
  • Absorb more CO₂ and sunlight than most plants.
  • Release more oxygen.
  • Produce large biomass.
• Morphology:
  • Tall perennial tropical grass.
  • Tillers at the base.
  • Produces unbranched stems 2–8 metres tall, around 5 cm diameter.

Environmental Aspect

• Sugarcane is a highly water-intensive crop, making irrigation and sustainable water management crucial.

Sources: TH & Others