Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI), as well as various AMMI-derived statistics, Genotype, and Genotype × Environment Interaction (GGE) models were employed on 24 sugarcane genotypes planted during two seasons (2017–18, 2018–19) under different induced salinity stress environments using saline water irrigation (iw) viz., E1 (Normal _iw during crop season 2017–18), E2 (Normal _iw during crop season 2018–19), E3 (4 dsm⁻¹ EC_iw during crop season 2017–18), E4 (4 dsm⁻¹ EC_iw during crop season 2018–19), E5 (8 dsm⁻¹ EC_iw during crop season 2017–18), E6 (8 dsm⁻¹ EC_iw during crop season 2018–19), E7 (12 dsm⁻¹ EC_iw during crop season 2017–18) and E8 (12 dsm⁻¹ EC_iw during crop season 2018–19) to assess the genotype by the environment interaction for the cane yield, commercial cane sugar (CCS) yield, number of millable cane (NMC), single cane weight (SCW), and pol % in juice. Individual and interactive effects of the genotype and environment for all the traits were significant. In the expression of total variability, the environmental contribution was higher for the cane yield (66.98%), CCS yield (67.60%), NMC (65.78%), and SCW (43.27%), whereas genotypic contribution was higher in the expression of pol% (82.48%). As per AMMI Stability Value (ASV), G14 (Co 13033), G23 (Co 15026), G7 (Co 05009), G17 (Co 13036), and G2 (Co 15025) were the most stable genotypes for the cane yield. Whereas as per GSI (genotype selection index), genotypes G24 (Co 15027), G21 (Co 15023), G23 (Co 15026), and G17 (Co 13036) were found most stable. The Sustainability Index (SI) of the cane yield (CY) and its contributing and CY-based computed traits were low for most of the genotypes, which indicates the negative impact of increased levels of irrigation-induced salinity in the expression of these traits. In the mean vs stability biplot analysis, G21 (Co 15023), G24 (Co 15027), G16 (Co 13036), G6 (Co 0238), and G20 (Co 14036) were found to be highly productive and stable genotypes for the cane yield. The superior and stable performance of early maturing notified varieties G21 (Co 15023) and G6 (Co 0238) for CY and CCS yield indicates that they will help the farmers to obtain sustainable income in saline soil conditions.

Phosphorus deficiency highly interferes with plant growth and development. Plants respond to persistent P deficiency by coordinating the expression of genes involved in the alleviation of stress. Promoters of phosphate transporter genes are a great choice for the development of genetically modified plants with enhanced phosphate uptake abilities, which improve crop yields in phosphate-deficient soils. In our previous study, the sugarcane phosphate transporter PHT1;2 gene showed a significantly high expression under salinity stress. In this study, the Erianthus arundinaceus EaPHT1;2 gene was isolated and characterized using various in silico tools. The deduced 542 amino acid residues have 10 transmembrane domains, with a molecular weight and isoelectric point of 58.9 kDa and 9.80, respectively. They displayed 71–96% similarity with Arabidopsis thaliana, Zea mays, and the Saccharum hybrid. To elucidate the function of the 5′ regulatory region, the 1.1 kb promoter was isolated and validated in tobacco transgenics under Pi stress. The EaPHT1;2 promoter activity was detected using a β-glucuronidase (GUS) assay. The EaPHT1;2 promoter showed 3- to 4.2-fold higher expression than the most widely used CaMV35S promoter. The 5′ deletion analysis with and without 5′ UTRs revealed a small-sized 374 bp fragment with the highest promoter activity among 5′ truncated fragments, which was 2.7 and 4.2 times higher than the well-used CaMV35S promoter under normal and Pi deprivation conditions, respectively. The strong and short promoter of EaPHT1;2 with 374 bp showed significant expression in low-Pi-stress conditions and it could be a valuable source for the development of stress-tolerant transgenic crops.

Phosphorus deficiency highly interferes with plant growth and development. Plants respond to the persistent P deficiency by coordinating the expression of genes involved in the alleviation of the stress. Promoters of phosphate transporter genes are of great choice for the development of genetically modified plants with enhanced phosphate uptake abilities, which improve crop yields in phosphate-deficient soils. In our previous study, the sugarcane phosphate transporter PHT1;2 gene, showed a significantly high expression under salinity stress. In this study, the Erianthus arundinaceus EaPHT1;2 gene was isolated and characterized using various in-silico tools. The deduced 542 amino acid residues have 10 transmembrane domains, with a molecular weight and isoelectric point of 58.9 kDa and 9.80, respectively. They displayed 71–96% similarity with Arabidopsis thaliana, Zea mays, and Saccharum hybrid. To elucidate the function of the 5’ regulatory region, the 1.1kb promoter was isolated and validated in tobacco transgenics under Pi stress. The EaPHT1;2 promoter activity was detected using the β-glucuronidase (GUS) assay. While the EaPHT1;2 promoter showed 3 to 4.2-fold higher expression than the most widely used CaMV35S promoter. The 5’ deletion analysis with and without 5’UTR regions, revealed that a small size 374 bp fragment with the highest promoter activity among 5′ truncated fragments, which was 2.7 and 4.2 times higher than the well-used CaMV35S promoter under normal and Pi-deprivation conditions, respectively. The strong and short promoter of EaPHT1;2 with 374 bp showed significant expression in low Pi-stress conditions and it could be a valuable source for the development of stress-tolerant transgenic crops