APAF partners with Sugar Research Australia to characterise Yellow Canopy Syndrome in sugarcane

Yellow Canopy Syndrome (YCS) was first observed in 2012 in Far North Queensland, and it has been confirmed in cane-growing regions from the Wide Bay north. Since then, there has been a concerted effort by Sugar Research Australia (SRA) to understand the cause – and management – of this mysterious syndrome.

Researchers have analysed the sugarcane genome and can rule out a group of viruses that hide within the DNA and later emerge to cause disease. This confirms that YCS is not caused by this type of endogenous virus. This breakthrough was made possible thanks to a separate SRA-funded project on the sugarcane genome.

Gene expression and proteome data confirm that YCS is distinctly different to water stress and senescence. APAF have applied SWATH mass spectrometry to characterise protein expression in segments of sugarcane leaf from hundreds of samples.

The collaboration with SRA has produced the most detailed proteome characterisation of YCS infected plants to date, and along with other molecular investigations, have the potential to unlock the mysteries of YCS and eventually lead to the correct way to manage and/or prevent the outbreak of YCS.