| abstract |
The subject invention concerns materials and methods for modulating lignin biosynthesis in sugarcane plants. In one embodiment, lignin biosynthesis is down- regulated. Genes and the proteins encoded thereby that can be targeted for achieving down-regulation of lignin in sugarcane include, for example, 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL). In one embodiment, the 4CL gene is 4CL-M, 4CL-N, or 4CL-L. The subject invention also concerns a sugarcane plant, specific plant tissue, and plant cells having modulated (e.g., down-regulated) lignin biosynthesis. The subject invention also concerns methods for producing a sugarcane plant having modulated (e.g., decreased or down-regulated) biosynthesis of lignin. |