HR Brix in CF13-inoculated plants.

<div><p>Sugarcane (<i>Saccharum</i> spp.)is an economically useful crop grown globally for sugar, ethanol and biofuel production. The crop is vulnerable to fungus <i>Colletotrichum falcatum</i> known to cause red rot disease. The pathogen hydrolyses stalk parenchyma cells where sucrose is accumulated resulting in upto 75% losses in sugar recovery. In this study, transgenic sugarcane having resistance against red rot was developed by introducing <i>Trichoderma</i> spp. <i>endochitinase</i> following <i>Agrobacterium</i> mediated transformation. The transgene introduction and expression in genetically modified plants were verified through qRT-PCR revealing upto 6-fold enhancement in <i>endochitinase</i> expression than non-transgenic plants. Hyperspectral Imaging of transgenic plants displayed altered leaf reflectance spectra and vegetative indices that were positively correlated with ransgene expression. The bioassay with virulent pathotypes of <i>C</i>. <i>falcatum</i>CF08 and CF13 known for epiphytotic occurrence resulted in identification of resistant plant Chit 3-13.The plants with higher reflectance also displayed improved disease resistance, implying their early classification into resistant/susceptible. The losses in sucrose content were minimized (up to 4-fold) in inoculated resistant plant Chit 3–13 as compared to susceptible non-transgenic plant, and a fewer pathogen hyphae were detected in vascular cells of the former through optical microscopy. The electron micrographs confirmed sucrose-filled stalk parenchyma cells in Chit 3–13; in contrast, cells of non-transgenic inoculated plant were depleted of sucrose. The active sites involved in cleaving 1–4 β-glycoside bonds of N-acetyl-d-glucosaminein the pathogen hyphal walls were detected through endochitinase protein structural modelling. The transgenic sugarcane is an important source for in trogressingred rot resistance in plant breeding programs.</p></div>