Next-generation biotechnology and breeding strategies for the development of biotic stress-resistant sugar beet

Official URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.55730/1300-008X.2869

Sugar beet is a high-sucrose crop primarily used for sugar production, and it is now gaining attention as a promising source for bioethanol production and cattle feed. This crop is also utilized for the extraction of pectin and the production of molasses. Despite its utilization across a wide range of industries, abiotic and biotic stress factors greatly reduce the productivity of the cash crop sugar beet. In this paper, we focus on the development of biotic stress-resistant sugar beet plants through various classical and biotechnological applications. In recent decades, omics technologies, next-generation sequencing, gene editing/silencing, and overexpression techniques have been utilized to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying biotic stress responses in sugar beet. Although conventional breeding is a time-consuming and lengthy procedure, it still maintains its relevance in the sugar beet sector. Türkiye’s first disease-resistant local and national sugar beet varieties, Türkşeker 2023 and Türkşeker 2053, are products of classical breeding and have begun to be cultivated in the country. Rhizomania, Cercospora leaf spot, cyst nematode, Rhizoctonia root rot, and sugar beet root maggot are the main biotic stress factors that negatively affect plant health and agricultural productivity in sugar beet. Currently, the development of new traits for resistance to fungi, viruses, pests, and nematodes is most commonly expected in sugar beet production. The integration of molecular markers in conventional breeding procedures, as well as next-generation biotechnological approaches including transgenic and CRISPR/Cas9 technologies, has provided a reliable means of improving biotic stress resistance in sugar beet. Regulatory frameworks regarding genetically modified plants, including sugar beet, are crucial for food safety and environmental impact and require discussion. The present review summarizes the applications of next-generation biotechnological techniques, omics technologies, and traditional breeding strategies to improve biotic stress resistance in sugar beet.