Work

A model-guided alternating high-temperature thermotherapy achieves complete eradication of sugarcane mosaic virus and preserves physiological integrity in Saccharum officinarum cv. Xuezhe

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction: cv. Xuezhe. Although constant high-temperature thermotherapy can eliminate SCMV, it frequently causes serious heat injury in heat-sensitive genotypes. This study developed an alternating high-temperature thermotherapy (AHTT) scheme to eradicate SCMV while maintaining axillary-bud vigor on rooted cuttings. Methods: A uniform-design experiment combined with quadratic regression analysis was used to optimize three factors: maximum treatment temperature (42-48 °C), duration of the high-temperature pulse (2-6 h in darkness), and the subsequent recovery phase at 38 °C (3-6 h under light). These cycles were applied daily over a 12-day regimen. Outcomes included sprouting, rooted-cutting performance, and virus elimination. Results: The model predicted an optimal schedule of 47 °C for 5 h (dark) followed by a 7-h recovery at 38 °C, repeated daily for 12 days; this schedule was experimentally validated. Under the optimized regime, axillary buds on 12-day-rooted cuttings were completely SCMV-free by RT-PCR, with 97% sprouting and acceptable vigor. AHTT was also associated with increased catalase (CAT) activity and reduced peroxidase (POD) activity. Discussion: The model-guided AHTT protocol reconciles effective SCMV eradication with acceptable plant stress and performs better than constant-temperature thermotherapy. It provides a practical, scalable, and environmentally friendly approach to generate virus-free sugarcane planting material, with potential relevance to other vegetatively propagated, heat-sensitive crops.

Source: Frontiers in Plant Science

DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2026.1752582