Multilayered defense responses in sugarcane against Pratylenchus zeae revealed by comparative transcriptomics

Area of Science:

• Plant Pathology
• Molecular Genetics
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Root-lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus zeae) are major threats to sugarcane production.
• The molecular mechanisms of sugarcane resistance to P. zeae are poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the molecular basis of sugarcane resistance to Pratylenchus zeae.
• To compare the root transcriptomic responses of resistant and susceptible sugarcane cultivars.

Main Methods:

• Comparative transcriptomics of sugarcane roots (cultivars RB966928 and CTC9001) 15 days post-inoculation with P. zeae.
• Analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and gene ontology (GO) enrichment.

Main Results:

• Resistant cultivars (RB966928) exhibited coordinated, multilayered defenses including intensified glycolysis, fatty-acid biosynthesis, ROS activity, and activation of jasmonic/salicylic acid pathways.
• Susceptible cultivars (CTC9001) showed delayed responses with cell-proliferation and callose-related defenses insufficient to limit nematode progression.
• Gene ontology analysis highlighted distinct metabolic, signaling, and cell-wall organization differences between resistant and susceptible responses.

Conclusions:

• Durable resistance to P. zeae requires stacking complementary defense layers, not a single mechanism.
• Identified candidate genes (RGAs, PR1 homologs) and pathways offer targets for marker-assisted breeding and gene editing for nematode resistance in sugarcane.