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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #156728
Title: A Comparison of Sugar Metabolism in Sugarcane Adapted to Louisiana and Hawaii

Author
item Lingle, Sarah
item Tew, Thomas

Submitted to: American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/7/2003
Publication Date: 6/15/2004
Citation: Lingle, S.E., Tew, T.L. 2004. A Comparison of Sugar Metabolism in Sugarcane Adapted to Louisiana and Hawaii [abstract]. Journal of the American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists. 24:89.

Interpretive Summary: Sugarcane varieties grown in Louisiana are different from those grown in Hawaii. Hawaiian varieties are adapted to two-year production cycles and produce high yields of stalks in a tropical environment. Louisiana varieties are adapted to a 9-month growing season and have lower stalk yields but higher sucrose concentrations in those stalks. It is not known if this is due to differences in biology of the varieties, or the environment in which they are grown. We compared sugar concentration and proteins that synthesize and break down sucrose in an immature and a mature stalk section of four Hawaii (HI) and two Louisiana (LA) varieties. Sucrose concentration in the immature section was similar in all varieties, but sucrose concentration in the mature section was higher in LA than HI varieties. While differences in most of the proteins studied were not consistent between the two groups, the activity of one protein, called cell wall acid invertase, was greater in LA than in HI varieties. Activity of this protein seemed to be correlated with sucrose concentration. We conclude that the differences between Louisiana and Hawaiian varieties is biological, and the gene for the cell wall acid invertase protein may be useful for plant breeders in selecting improved sugarcane varieties.

Technical Abstract: Different strategies of sugarcane (Saccharum sp. hybrids) breeding programs in Hawaii and Louisiana produce very different genotypes. Hawaiian genotypes are adapted to two-year production cycles and produce high tonnage in a tropical environment. Louisiana genotypes are adapted to a 9-month growing season and have early sucrose accumulation. We compared sugar concentration and enzymes of sucrose metabolism, soluble acid invertase, neutral invertase, sucrose synthase, and sucrose-phosphate synthase in internodes 2 and 18 from the top of four Hawaii (HI) and two Louisiana (LA) genotypes. Sucrose concentration in internode 2 was similar in all genotypes. Sucrose concentration in internode 18 was significantly higher in LA than HI genotypes, and there was a significantly higher sucrose to total sugar ratio in LA genotypes. While soluble enzyme activities were different among genotypes, the differences were not consistent between LA and HI genotypes. Cell wall acid invertase activities in both internodes were significantly greater in LA than in HI internodes, and there was a significant linear correlation between cell wall acid invertase activity and sucrose concentration in mature internodes. Thus, the cell wall invertase gene may be a good candidate for improving sucrose accumulation in sugarcane.