PLANT CELL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

In recent times, sugarcane has become a preferred crop for renewable and eco-friendly energy production, contributing significantly to sustainable energy development and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The improvement of sugarcane productivity depends on the crop varieties, growth environments, and management practices. Expected rise in demand for energy has improved the scope of sugarcane production. In order to fulfill the rising demands of sugar and ethanol, it has to develop into a complex scientific study with the goal to produce the greatest amount of agricultural produce in the least amount of area, and time. Due to the fast expanding population, increased per capita sugar consumption, and growing demand for ethanol as a biofuel, more sugar must be produced. Red rot of disease is a major hindrance in ethanol production from sugarcane thereby affecting the overall efficiency and economic viability of ethanol production. Severe disease outbreaks can lead to substantial economic losses for farmers, sugar industries, and bioethanol producers. The emergence of new pathogenic races and the breakdown of host resistance in commercial cultivars further complicate disease management and threaten the sustainability of ethanol production systems. To address these challenges, strategies have emerged for controlling red rot disease include combined use of resistant cultivars, disease-free seed cane, crop sanitation, field monitoring, crop rotation, balanced nutrient management, biological control agents, and need-based fungicide applications. Recent advances in molecular breeding, pathogen diagnostics, and genomic-assisted selection have further strengthened efforts to develop durable red rot-resistant varieties. Therefore, the implementation of comprehensive red rot management strategies is essential for sustaining sugarcane productivity, ensuring a stable supply of feedstock for ethanol production, and supporting the long-term growth of the biofuel industry in an environmentally sustainable manner. Therefore, sophisticated scientific research is required with the objective of producing disease free canes with higher production rate in order to meet the growing demands of ethanol from sugarcane.