Evaluation of the biochemical composition of corn grain of the selection of FGBNU RosNIISK "Rossorgo" for further use in the agro-industrial complex

The article examines the biological value of varieties, hybrids (hybrid populations) and lines of maize selection of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution RosNIISK "Rossorgo" in the framework of the biochemical composition of grain. The main indicators were studied: protein, fat, ash, fiber, starch, and nitrogen-free extractive substances. The maximum protein value of 13.58% was in the RSK 3 maize line. The largest number of mineral substances (1.79%) was also noted here. The highest amount of fat (7.50%) and starch (69.24%) was in the Zuckerka variety. A conclusion was made about the possibility of further selection for the breeding of forms with directional properties and biological value. Keywords: CORN, VARIETIES, BIOLOGICAL VALUE, PROTEIN, FAT, FIBER, MINERAL SUBSTANCES, STARCH

Variations of cob rot infection caused by Fusarium verticillioides in the Filial 1(F1) hybrid maize line

The study of infection variations of the cob rot disease caused by Fusarium verticillioides on the hybrid maize line Filial 1(F1) aimed to determine the variation of infection of corn cob rot disease caused by F. verticillioides. This research was carried out in Sinoa District, Bantaeng Regency from November 2020 to February 2021. Research design used was randomized Block Design with 3 replications. The treatment were Filial line (F1) of 6 lines (D71, D72, D73, D74, BMD75, D76) and 4 commercial varieties Indonesia (Pioner 36, BISI 2, BISI 18, P36, and NK22). Bisi 2 was used as susceptible check variety and NK 22 as a resistant check. The response of lines D71, D72, D74 and D75, were classified moderately resistant to cob rot disease F. v erticilliodies, infected with 30.66%, 32.66%, 33.33% and 28.00%, respectively. Strains D73 and D76, classified as susceptible (47.33% and 46.66%). BISI 2 was very susceptible (62.33% and 63.66%) and NK 22 was resistant (13.33%-14.00%) The variable of infected cobs showed D71, D72, D74 and D75 (27.53%-32.13%) significantly lower compared D73 and D76 (52.56%-44.76). %). Susceptible varieties Bisi 2 (63.06%-62.43%). Asymptomatic seeds (asymptomatic) can achieve internal infection of F. Verticilliodies seeds, ranging from 14.00%-16.33%.

Drought-adapted maize line based on morphophysiological selection index

Padjung R, Farid M, Musa Y, Anshori MF, Nur A, Masnenong A. 2021. Drought-adapted maize line based on morphophysiological selection index. Biodiversitas 22: 4028-4035. Synthetic line formation is an effort to increase maize productivity in drought-stressed areas. This process requires systematic selection in determining adaptability levels involving important secondary characters formulated in the selection index. Furthermore, the principal component index had been widely reported, both in normal and stressed conditions. The selection index development on morpho-physiological characters based on multivariate analysis was expected to increase drought stress tolerance and maize lines selection precision. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to form a selection index based on morpho-physiological characters and selecting synthetic lines adaptive under drought stress. This research was designed using a split-plot with 3 replications, where the main plot consisted of normal and stressed irrigation, while the subplot was genotype consisting of 6 lines and 3 check varieties namely Bisma, Lamuru, and Sukamarga. Observations were performed on 18 morphological and 4 physiological characters, and the results showed that the selection index was formed based on multivariate analysis from 9 characters. Through index selection, Syn_2-2 (0.79), Syn_2-15 (0.85) and Syn_2-16 (0.97) were considered as drought stress adaptive lines. Therefore, the 3 lines can be recommended in the synthetic variety release process.

Genetic analysis of three maize husk traits by QTL mapping in a maize-teosinte population

Background The maize husk consists of numerous leafy layers and plays vital roles in protecting the ear from pathogen infection and dehydration. Teosinte, the wild ancestor of maize, has about three layers of small husk outer covering the ear. Although several quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying husk morphology variation have been reported, the genetic basis of husk traits between teosinte and maize remains unclear. Results A linkage population including 191 BC2F8 inbred lines generated from the maize line Mo17 and the teosinte line X26–4 was used to identify QTL associated with three husk traits: i.e., husk length (HL), husk width (HW) and the number of husk layers (HN). The best linear unbiased predictor (BLUP) depicted wide phenotypic variation and high heritability of all three traits. The HL exhibited greater correlation with HW than HN. A total of 4 QTLs were identified including 1, 1, 2, which are associated with HL, HW and HN, respectively. The proportion of phenotypic variation explained by these QTLs was 9.6, 8.9 and 8.1% for HL, HN and HW, respectively. Conclusions The QTLs identified in this study will pave a path to explore candidate genes regulating husk growth and development, and benefit the molecular breeding program based on molecular marker-assisted selection to cultivate maize varieties with an ideal husk morphology.

Gene Expression in Parthenogenic Maize Proembryos

Angiosperm plants reproduce both sexually and asexually (by apomixis). In apomictic plants, the embryo and endosperm develop without fertilization. Modern maize seems to have a broken apomixis-triggering mechanism, which still works in Tripsacum and in Tripsacum–maize hybrids. For the first time, maize lines characterized by pronounced and inheritable high-frequency maternal parthenogenesis were generated 40 years ago, but there are no data on gene expression in parthenogenic maize proembryos. Here we examined for the first time gene expression in parthenogenic proembryos isolated from unpollinated embryo sacs (ESs) of a parthenogenic maize line (AT-4). The DNA-methylation genes (dmt103, dmt105) and the genes coding for the chromatin-modifying enzymes (chr106, hdt104, hon101) were expressed much higher in parthenogenic proembryos than in unpollinated ESs. The expression of the fertilization-independent endosperm (fie1) genes was found for the first time in parthenogenic proembryos and unpollinated ESs. In parthenogenic proembryos, the Zm_fie2 gene was expressed up to two times higher than it was expressed in unpollinated ESs.

Transposon-induced inversions activate gene expression in the maize pericarp

Chromosomal inversions can have considerable biological and agronomic impacts including disrupted gene function, change in gene expression and inhibited recombination. Here we describe the molecular structure and functional impact of six inversions caused by Alternative Transpositions between p1 and p2 genes responsible for floral pigmentation in maize. In maize line p1-wwB54, the p1 gene is null and the p2 gene is expressed in anther and silk but not in pericarp, making the kernels white. By screening for kernels with red pericarp, we identified inversions in this region caused by transposition of Ac and fractured Ac (fAc) transposable elements. We hypothesize that these inversions place the p2 gene promoter near a p1 gene enhancer, thereby activating p2 expression in kernel pericarp. To our knowledge, this is the first report of multiple recurrent inversions that change the position of a gene promoter relative to an enhancer to induce ectopic expression in a eukaryote.

Transposon-induced inversions activate gene expression in Maize pericarp

Chromosomal inversions can have considerable biological and agronomic impacts including disrupted gene function, change in gene expression and inhibited recombination. Here we describe the molecular structure and functional impact of six inversions caused by Alternative Transpositions between p1 and p2 genes responsible for floral pigmentation in maize. In maize line p1-wwB54, the p2 gene is expressed in anther and silk but not in pericarp, making the kernels white. We identified inversions in this region caused by transposition of Ac and fractured Ac (fAc) transposable elements. These inversions change the position of a p1 enhancer and activate the expression of p2 in the kernel pericarp, resulting in red kernel color. We hypothesize that these inversions place the p2 gene promoter near a p1 gene enhancer, thereby activating p2 expression in kernel pericarp.

Use of Taxonomic and Trait-Based Approaches to Evaluate the Effect of Bt maize Expressing Cry1Ie Protein on Non-Target Collembola: A Case Study in Northeast China

To evaluate the effect of Bt maize expressing Cry1Ie protein on non-target soil Collembola, a two-year field study was conducted in Northeast China. Bt maize line IE09S034 and its near isoline Zong 31 were selected as experimental crops; we investigated the collembolan community using both taxonomic and trait-based approaches, and elucidated the relationship between environmental variables and the collembolan community using redundancy analysis (RDA).The ANOVA results showed that maize variety neither had significant effect on the parameters based on taxonomic approach (abundance, species richness, Shannon–Wiener index, Pielou’s evenness index), nor on the parameters based on trait-based approach (ocelli number, body length, pigmentation level, and furcula development) in either year. The results of RDA also showed that maize variety did not affect collembolan community significantly. These results suggest that two years cultivation of cry1Ie maize does not affect collembolan community in Northeast China.