Transgenic Sugarcane for Biopharming: Challenges and Prospects

Sugarcane is a potential candidate for biopharming to generate high-value bioproducts because of its high biomass content, rapid growth rate, highly efficient carbon fixation pathway, and well-developed storage tissue system in the form of culms. Transgenic approaches have significantly contributed to generating new varieties by biolistic and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation methods. However, important considerations in breeding programs and transformation technologies and biosafety issues should be considered to explore the potential of sugarcane as a biofactory. In this chapter, we underline the most recent biotechnological advances in sugarcane towards the production of pharmaceutical proteins, biopolymers, and high-value carbohydrates, and also discuss the challenges and prospects of transgenic sugarcane for biopharming. The chapter concludes that the progress in transgenic technology towards sugarcane biopharming demonstrates that sugarcane has tremendous potential to contribute in the area of value addition and product diversification in sugarcane which may play a crucial role in the growing bio-economy.