Biochemical and molecular characterization of the sugarcane glutathione s-transferase: response to herbicides and safeners

Abstract

In Brazil, sugarcane is one of the most important agribusinesses, representing around 3.5 per cent of the GDP, with the costs relating to the use of herbicides to protect this crop from infestation by harmful weeds being very telling, in the order of 240 million dollars per annum. Glutathione s-transferase is recognized as giving various crops resistance to the harmful effects of herbicides. Similarly, some compounds called safeners have the capability of inducing the expression of GSTs, which protect the crop against the application of certain herbicides. Little is known regarding the GSTs of sugarcane, however, biochemical and molecular studies aimed at an increase in the knowledge of the probable isoforms of sugarcane GSTs in response to the action of herbicides and safeners are opportune due to the potential in the possible selection of varieties with expression or isoforms that increase the resistance to herbicides, or even their use in transgenic plants. (AU)