Increasing sugar content in stalks is a key objective in sugarcane breeding because the major costs in sugar production – harvesting, cane transport and milling – are nearly proportional to the weight of cane processed. However, genetic gains in sugar content using traditional breeding have been frustratingly slow. This booklet reviews the most published DNA marker studies in sugarcane, many of which have focused on sugar content.

Three short chapters address sugarcane cytology, breeding and sugar metabolism. The chapter on sugarcane breeding is very ‘India-centric’, and the one on sugar metabolism does not report many recent studies. The main chapter deals with DNA markers and genomic studies in sugarcane, and discusses results from the most published papers on these topics. A deficiency is an absence of commentary about statistical issues – critical in interpreting quantitative trait loci (QTL) studies. A recurring theme is the challenges of working with this complex polyploid plant. The final chapter comments on potential future directions.

This booklet does provide a useful collation of many published studies on DNA markers in sugarcane. However, I felt that it lacked a logical ‘flow’ in many parts, lacked supporting references in making many points, and could have benefited from much more editing. It also provided little discussion or insight about how markers may be applied in practice to improve genetic gains in sugarcane. While this may be partly excusable because of a lack of reports to date about markers being applied for this purpose, those attracted by the title could have dashed expectations.