Measuring antioxidant activity in yellow corn (Zea mays L.) inbreds from three different geographic regions

Corn (Zea mays L.) provides a major source of calories for human consumption and therefore, the nutritional components of corn have a large impact on human health. For example, corn kernels contain antioxidants, such as polyphenols (including anthocyanins and other flavonoids) and carotenoids. Such compounds represent useful targets for biofortification breeding. In this study, we used 34 corn inbred lines from three different regions (East Asia, Southern Asia, and subtropical regions) and 11 F1 hybrids derived from the inbreds to investigate antioxidant activity in yellow corn. We compared different methods for measuring antioxidant activity to test their consistency and to determine whether color could be used as an indicator of antioxidant activity. We also measured carotenoid levels in yellow corn. No difference in antioxidant activity was detected between inbred corn lines from temperate vs. tropical regions. We determined that carotenoid is a major contributor to antioxidant activity in yellow corn and that kernel color, especially yellowness, could be used as an indicator of antioxidant activity in yellow corn. These findings lay the foundation for the biofortification of yellow corn by providing information about the correlations among kernel color, carotenoid contents, and antioxidant activity and by identifying an easy method to assess antioxidant activity in yellow corn.

Agronomic performance of experimental super sweet corn hybrids

ABSTRACT Super sweet is classified as a special type of corn, due to the presence of genes which promote sugar accumulation in grains, significantly reducing starch content in the endosperm. This study aimed to evaluate the agronomic performance of experimental super sweet corn hybrids, carrying the gene shrunken-2, in order to identify and select promising genotypes for Southern Brazil. The experiments were carried out in two sowing seasons in 2017/18, in the experimental field of UNICENTRO, Guarapuava-PR, Brazil. Thirty-two experimental hybrids resulting from an 8x4 partial diallel among super sweet corn inbred lines from four distinct populations were evaluated along with two commercial hybrids (BRS Vivi and Tropical Plus) used as checks. Traits of agronomic and commercial interest were evaluated: male flowering (MF), husk covering index (HCI), yield of husked ears (YHE), grain yield (GY), commercial prolificacy (CPR), percentage of commercial ears (PCE), color (COL) and soluble solids (SS) of the grains. We verified significant differences among the experimental hybrids, except for COL. There was no significant effect of sowing season regarding to SS. Genotypes x seasons interaction was significant for YHE, GY, CPR, PCE and COL. There are promising experimental hybrids showing performances superior to commercial super sweet corn hybrids used in Brazil. The experimental hybrids D2-61 x D5-41 and D3-10 x D5-43 were superior to the other experimental genotypes. The experimental hybrid D2-61 x D5-41 shows potential to meet the demands of the current super sweet corn market.

CO476 corn inbred line

CO476 is an early-medium maturity (76 days to flowering) mostly stiff stalk (BSSS) yellow flint inbred which combines well with a stiff stalk B14 type and iodent type testers in many different locations. CO476 possesses moderate resistance to gibberella ear rot both in the inbred and in hybrid combinations. It has intermediate response to common smut, fusarium stalk rot, northern corn leaf blight, common rust and Goss’s wilt.

CO475 corn inbred line

CO475 is an early-medium maturity (75 days to flowering) mostly Iodent yellow semi-dent inbred which combines well with several testers in many different locations. It has moderate resistance to gibberella ear rot (both the inbred and in hybrid combinations) and intermediate response to smut, fusarium stalk rot, northern leaf blight, eyespot, rust, and goss’s wilt.

CO474 corn inbred line

CO474 is a mostly Stiff Stalk (BSSS) yellow semi-dent inbred with early-medium maturity (75 days to flowering). It has moderate resistance to eyespot and rust and intermediate reactions to fusarium stalk rot, northern leaf blight and goss’s wilt. This inbred combines well with several testers in many different locations.

22KD Zein Content Coordinates Transcriptional Activity during Starch Synthesis in Maize Endosperm

Starch, the main form of stored energy in plants, plays an important role in maize (Zea mays L.) kernel development. The Shrunken-2 (Sh2) gene encodes the large subunit of the rate-limiting starch biosynthetic enzyme ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase). The sh2 mutant exhibits impaired AGPase activity, resulting in the partial or complete loss of starch synthesis. Here, we investigated the transcriptional regulatory framework of sh2 through transcriptome and co-expression network analysis using an F2 population derived from the maize reference line B73 and sweet corn inbred line HZ508. We identified 5175 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 2878 upregulated and 2297 downregulated genes in sh2 mutant lines. DEGs are associated with various biological processes including nutrient reservoir activity, transferase activity, catalytic activity, water deprivation and glycogen metabolism. At the genetic level, 2465 DEGs, including 357 transcription factors, were involved in transcription. In addition, the maize floury and opaque mutant genes fl1, ndk2, o7 and o2, which regulate the biosynthesis of 22KD zein, were co-expressed with the differential expressed transcription factor genes, thus suggesting that zein content might be a key regulator coordinating the expression of genes determining starch accumulation in maize endosperm.

Selection of corn inbred lines, testers, and hybrids adapted to second-crop environments

The objective of this work was to evaluate the yield performance, adaptability, and stability of corn (Zea mays) topcross hybrids in nine environments in Brazil, in order to select inbred lines, testers, and promising hybrid combinations for these environments in the second crop season. The trials were carried out during the second crop season of 2017, in six sites in the state of Paraná and three in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Sixty-six single-cross hybrids, made up of 33 inbred lines crossed with two testers, were evaluated. The stability of the genotypes was assessed by the Schmidt & Cruz method and by the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) methodology. In addition, the genetic parameters and the general combining ability of the testers were estimated. Tester 2 is the most adapted to discriminate inbred lines in the second-crop environments. Inbred lines 12, 21, 23, and 32 are recommended for obtaining hybrids to be cultivated in the second crop season due to their good adaptability and stability and high yield in the crosses in which they participated. The HS123, HS223, and HS232 hybrids present the best performance and are the most recommended for the second-crop environments.