Chinese Scientists Crack Key Gene for Sugarcane Sugar Boost

Chinese scientists have identified the key gene responsible for controlling sugar content in sugarcane, a breakthrough published in the journal Nature on May 27 that has already been applied to guide breeding programs. The discovery could revolutionize sugarcane production and the global sugar industry.

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, working with partner institutions, systematically re-sequenced 981 sugarcane samples from 19 major global production regions, building what they describe as the largest sugarcane population genetic resource library to date, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The ‘Sugar Jar’ Discovery

The team found that sugarcane stem parenchyma cells — thin-walled cells that store fluids — function as the plant’s “sugar jar,” and their sugar content is genetically controlled. By decoding this mechanism, the researchers identified the specific gene that regulates the development of these parenchyma cells, providing a precise molecular target for breeding higher-sugar varieties.

“The research team systematically re-sequenced 981 sugarcane samples from 19 major global production regions, building the largest sugarcane population genetic resource library to date,” Xinhua reported. “The study found that the parenchyma cells of the sugarcane stem are its ‘sugar jar,’ and their sugar content is controlled by genes.”

To achieve this, the team developed, integrated, and introduced new technologies for precise assembly of the complex sugarcane genome, successfully creating a high-quality haplotype-resolved genome named “蔗王” (Sugarcane King). This genomic resource provides clear molecular targets for breeding future “super high-sugar” sugarcane varieties.

Why Sugarcane Genetics Is So Difficult

Sugarcane is widely regarded as having one of the most complex genomes in the plant kingdom. Modern cultivated varieties are typically octoploid to decaploid (8x to 10x), carrying 100–130 chromosomes with mixed ancestry from multiple species. High levels of repetitive sequences and chromosomal instability have historically made genomic analysis extraordinarily challenging.

Traditional single linear reference genomes captured only about 34% of sugarcane’s genetic diversity, leading many genomic scientists to avoid the crop altogether. Only two long-form sugarcane research papers were published in Science over the course of a century — one in 1926 and one in March 2026.

That March 2026 study, led by Professor Zhang Jisen’s team at Guangxi University, published the first sugarcane pan-genome map in Science, creating a multi-scale graph pan-genome roughly five times the size of the human genome. The CATAS team’s May 2026 Nature publication builds directly on these genomic tools, focusing specifically on the sugar storage mechanism.

Strategic Implications for China

Sugarcane is China’s primary source of food sugar. The country consumes approximately 15 million tons of sugar annually while producing about 10 million tons domestically. Guangxi province alone accounts for over 60% of national output, with more than 11 million mu (~733,000 hectares) planted.

The research results have already been applied to guide sugarcane breeding programs, enhancing China’s capacity for independent and controllable sugarcane germplasm resources and stabilizing sugar supply. CCTV News and Guangming Daily also carried the story, highlighting its national significance.

Sugar holds a unique strategic position in China — it was classified as a strategic material in the 1960s with dedicated state reserve management regulations. Today, sugar is used in over 2,000 industrial products, and globally, 40% of fuel ethanol comes from sugar.

Broader Applications

The technologies developed for this breakthrough are expected to be applicable to genomic research and molecular breeding of other polyploid crops, including wheat, cotton, and potatoes. This cross-crop applicability could amplify the impact of the research far beyond sugarcane alone.

What’s Next

While the specific gene identified has not been named in public reporting, and field trial results and timelines for commercial application remain unspecified, the fact that the findings have already been integrated into breeding programs suggests practical results may emerge sooner rather than later. The discovery positions China at the forefront of polyploid crop genomics research and could benefit millions of sugarcane farmers, particularly in Guangxi, Yunnan, and Guangdong provinces.

For the global sugar industry — dominated by producers such as Brazil, India, and Thailand — the breakthrough signals that a new era of genetically informed sugarcane breeding has begun.