Development and Application of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Markers for the Identification of Pest and Disease Resistance in Sugarcane.

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is an economically important crop cultivated worldwide for sugar and bioenergy production. However, its productivity is significantly affected by various pests and diseases, which lead to substantial yield and quality losses. Traditional breeding approaches for developing resistant varieties are often time-consuming and complicated due to the complex polyploid genome of sugarcane. In recent years, molecular marker technologies have provided powerful tools for the rapid identification and selection of desirable traits in crop improvement programs. Among the available molecular markers, single-nucleotide (SNP) markers have emerged as highly informative, abundant, and reliable markers for genetic analysis and marker-assisted breeding. Advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have greatly facilitated the discovery and high-throughput genotyping of SNPs across the sugarcane genome. These markers can be effectively used to identify genomic regions associated with resistance to major sugarcane pests and diseases. The development and application of SNP markers provide valuable tools for understanding genetic variation and identifying genomic regions associated with pest and disease resistance in sugarcane. These markers enable accurate and high-throughput genotyping, facilitating the detection of resistance-related loci and improving the efficiency of molecular breeding programs. The use of SNP markers, therefore, plays a crucial role in accelerating the development of improved sugarcane varieties with enhanced resistance to major biotic stresses, ultimately contributing to sustainable sugarcane production.