Transcriptomic insights into perennial sorghum resistance to sugarcane aphids

Area of Science:

• Plant Science
• Agronomy
• Genetics

Background:

• Perennial crops offer sustainable agriculture benefits over annual cereals.
• Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), a major global cereal, faces threats from the sugarcane aphid (SCA; Melanaphis sacchari).
• Understanding SCA-perennial sorghum interactions is crucial for crop improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore molecular and genetic mechanisms of SCA resistance in perennial sorghum.
• To identify key genetic factors mediating the interaction between SCA and perennial sorghum (Sorghum bicolor x Sorghum halepense).

Main Methods:

• RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to analyze transcriptomic responses in perennial sorghum genotypes with varying SCA resistance levels.
• Gene expression profiling was conducted at early (6, 24 h) and late (7 d) time points post-infestation.
• Weighted co-expression network analysis identified key biological and metabolic processes affected by aphid infestation.

Main Results:

• SCA infestation induced distinct gene expression changes related to plant defense mechanisms.
• 10,620 differentially expressed genes were identified across time points.
• SCA-resistant sorghum lines uniquely upregulated genes involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, cell wall modification, callose synthesis, phytohormone signaling, and transcription factors (bHLH, NAC, MYB).

Conclusions:

• SCA-resistant perennial sorghum exhibits enhanced defense signaling activation.
• The study identified novel sources of perennial sorghum resistance to SCA.
• Findings support sorghum breeding programs for improved crop resilience and productivity.