Tissue-specific transcriptome analysis within the maturing sugarcane stalk reveals spatial regulation in the expression of cellulose synthase and sucrose transporter gene families.

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) accumulates high concentrations of sucrose in its mature stalk and a considerable portion of carbohydrate metabolism is also devoted to cell wall synthesis and fibre production. We examined tissue-specific expression patterns to explore the spatial deployment of pathways responsible for sucrose accumulation and fibre synthesis within the stalk.