Integrated multi-omics analysis reveals hormonal and nutrient networks regulating sugarcane tillering

作者：S.-L. Chen, Bin Shan, Zeping Wang, Yi Song, Yuyan Qin, Li Liu, Qian Qin, X LI, Qinyu Lu · 发表于：Frontiers in Plant Science · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.3389/fpls.2026.1755625 · 研究领域：Sugarcane Cultivation and Processing、Plant nutrient uptake and metabolism、Plant Gene Expression Analysis

Introduction: Sugarcane tillering represents a complex developmental process shaped by multiple interacting molecular networks. To outline a multi-omics regulatory framework linking hormonal, ionomic, and transcriptomic variation to contrasting tillering capacities in sugarcane, we analyzed contrasting genotypes using an integrated multi-omics approach. Methods: Four field-grown sugarcane genotypes at the peak tillering stage were analyzed using integrated transcriptomics, targeted phytohormone metabolomics, and ionomics, with three biological replicates per genotype × tissue combination. Results: High-tillering plants maintained a transcriptional and metabolic state optimized for growth, including enhanced expression of photosynthetic and carbon metabolic pathways, marked accumulation of the auxin-associated metabolite tryptamine (Log2FC = 4.97), elevated auxin- and cytokinin-associated metabolites, and preferential enrichment of micronutrients in tiller tissues. In contrast, low-tillering genotypes adopted a stress-prepared phenotype characterized by activation of defense and protein synthesis pathways, reduced 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) levels in high-tillering plants relative to low-tillering plants (Log2FC = -2.26), accumulation of jasmonate-, salicylic acid-, and abscisic acid (ABA)-associated metabolites, and distinct ionomic signatures associated with nutrient imbalance. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) further revealed a polarized...