The calculation method of potential evapotranspiration（PET） was improved by adopting a more reliable PET estimate based on the Penman-Monteith equation into the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index（S...The calculation method of potential evapotranspiration（PET） was improved by adopting a more reliable PET estimate based on the Penman-Monteith equation into the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index（SPEI） in this study（SPEI PM）. This improvement increased the applicability of SPEI in North China Plain（NCP）. The historic meteorological data during 1962–2011 were used to calculate SPEI PM. The detrended yields of maize from Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Beijing, and Tianjin provinces/cities of NCP were obtained by linear sliding average method. Then regression analysis was made to study the relationships between detrended yields and SPEI values. Different time scales were applied, and thus SPEI PM was mentioned as SPEI PMk-j（k=time scale, 1, 2, 3, 4,…, 24 mon; j=month, 1, 2, 3,..., 12）, among which SPEI PM3-8 reflected the water condition from June to August, a period of heavy precipitation and vigorous growth of maize in NCP. SPEI PM3-8 was highly correlated with detrended yield in this region, which can effectively evaluate the effect of drought on maize yield. Additionally, this relationship becomes more significant in recent 20 yr. The regression model based on the SPEI series explained 64.8% of the variability of the annual detrended yield in Beijing, 45.2% in Henan, 58.6% in Shandong, and 54.6% in Hebei. Moreover, when SPEI PM3-8 is in the range of –0.6 to 1.1, –0.9 to 0.8 and –0.8 to 2.3, the detrended yield increases in Shandong, Henan and Beijing. The yield increasing range was during normal water condition in Shandong and Henan, where precipitation was abundant. It indicated that the field management matched well with local water condition and thus allowed stable and high yield. Maize yield increase in these two provinces in the future can be realized by further improving water use efficiency and enhancing the stress resistance as well as yield stability. In Hebei and Beijing, the precipitation is less and thus the normal water condition cannot meet the high yield tar展开更多
[Objective] The aim of this study was to investigate the dry matter accumulation,moisture content in maize kernel and their influences on mechanical harvesting.[Methods] Using Zhengdan 958,Xianyu 335,Hongda 8 and Liyu...[Objective] The aim of this study was to investigate the dry matter accumulation,moisture content in maize kernel and their influences on mechanical harvesting.[Methods] Using Zhengdan 958,Xianyu 335,Hongda 8 and Liyu 16 as experimental materials,we preliminarily measured the dynamic changes of dry matter accumulation and moisture content with the days after pollination lasted,and investigated the effect of moisture content in kernels on mechanical harvesting of Zhengdan 958 and Liyu 16.[Results] During summer growing season,Zhengdan 958 and Liyu 16 became physiologically mature and suitable for harvesting at about 51 days after pollination,Xianyu 335 and Hongda 8 required 58 days to become physiologically mature and suitable for harvesting after pollination.At physiologically mature stage,the moisture contents in kernels of Zhengdan 958,Xianyu 335,Hongda 8 and Liyu 16 were respectively 33.74%,28.86%,32.05% and 35.24%,respectively.Adopting mechanical harvesting at physiologically mature stage,the kernel loss rate of Zhengdan 958 and Liyu 16 was consistent with the range of mechanical operation index（kernel loss rate of 0.84%≤2%）,while the percentage of broken kernels did not accord with the range of mechanical operation index（kernel crashing rate of 10.12%≧1%）.The results indicate that Zhengdan 958 and Liyu 16 are not suitable for mechanical harvesting using full feeding combine havester.[Conclusion] This study provided theoretical basis for improving the maize harvest index under delayed harvesting.展开更多
Maize（Zea mays L.） is a commercially important crop.Its yield can be reduced by mutations in biosynthetic and degradative pathways that cause death.In this paper,we describe the necrotic leaf（nec-t） mutant,which w...Maize（Zea mays L.） is a commercially important crop.Its yield can be reduced by mutations in biosynthetic and degradative pathways that cause death.In this paper,we describe the necrotic leaf（nec-t） mutant,which was obtained from an inbred line,81647.The nec-t mutant plants had yellow leaves with necrotic spots,reduced chlorophyll content,and the etiolated seedlings died under normal growth conditions.Transmission electron microscopy revealed scattered thylakoids,and reduced numbers of grana lamellae and chloroplasts per cell.Histochemical staining suggested that spot formation of nec-t leaves might be due to cell death.Genetic analysis showed that necrosis was caused by the mutation of a recessive locus.Using simple sequence repeat markers,the Nec-t gene was mapped between mmc0111 and bnlg2277 on the short arm of chromosome 2.A total of 1287 individuals with the mutant phenotype from a F_2 population were used for physical mapping.The Nec-t gene was located between markers T31 and H8 within a physical region of 131.7 kb.展开更多
Seed aging decreases the quality and vigor of crop seeds,thereby causing substantial agricultural and economic losses in crops.To identify genetic differences in seed aging between homozygotes and heterozygotes in mai...Seed aging decreases the quality and vigor of crop seeds,thereby causing substantial agricultural and economic losses in crops.To identify genetic differences in seed aging between homozygotes and heterozygotes in maize,the seeds of a set of recombinant inbred lines(RILs) and an immortalized F_2(IF_2) population were subjected to artificial aging treatments for 0,2,3,and 4 days under 45℃ and 85%relative humidity and seed vigor was then evaluated in a field experiment.Seed vigor of all entries tested decreased sharply with longer aging treatment and seed vigor decreased more slowly in heterozygotes than in homozygotes.Forty-nine QTL were detected for four measured seed vigor traits in the RIL(28QTL) and IF_2(21 QTL) populations.Only one QTL,qGP5,was detected in both populations,indicating that the genes involved in anti-aging mechanisms differed between inbred lines and hybrids.Several QTL were identified to be responsible for multiple seed vigor traits simultaneously in the RIL and IF_2 populations under artificial aging conditions.These QTL may include major genes for seed vigor or seed aging.QTL qVI4 b and qGE3 a detected in the RIL population coincided with genes ZmLOX1 and ZmPLD1 in the same respective chromosomal regions.These QTL would be useful for screening for anti-aging genes in maize breeding.展开更多
Drought is one of the most important abiotic stresses affecting maize growth and development and therefore resulting in yield loss.Thus it is essential to understand molecular mechanisms of drought stress responses in...Drought is one of the most important abiotic stresses affecting maize growth and development and therefore resulting in yield loss.Thus it is essential to understand molecular mechanisms of drought stress responses in maize for drought tolerance improvement.The root plays a critical role in plants sensing water deficit.In the present study,two maize inbred lines,H082183,a drought-tolerant line,and Lv28,a drought-sensitive line,were grown in the field and treated with different water conditions(moderate drought,severe drought,and well-watered conditions)during vegetative stage.The transcriptomes of their roots were investigated by RNA sequencing.There were 1428 and 512 drought-responsive genes(DRGs)in Lv28,688 and 3363 DRGs in H082183 under moderate drought and severe drought,respectively.A total of 31 Gene Ontology(GO)terms were significantly over-represented in the two lines,13 of which were enriched only in the DRGs of H082183.Based on results of Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)enrichment analysis,"plant hormone signal transduction"and"starch and sucrose metabolism"were enriched in both of the two lines,while"phenylpropanoid biosynthesis"was only enriched in H082183.Further analysis revealed the different expression patterns of genes related to abscisic acid(ABA)signal pathway,trehalose biosynthesis,reactive oxygen scavenging,and transcription factors might contribute to drought tolerance in maize.Our results contribute to illustrating drought-responsive molecular mechanisms and providing gene resources for maize drought improvement.展开更多
Atrazine accumulation,oxidative stress,and defense response in maize seedlings exposed to extraneous atrazine were studied.Accumulation of atrazine in maize increased with increasing exposure concentration.The abscisi...Atrazine accumulation,oxidative stress,and defense response in maize seedlings exposed to extraneous atrazine were studied.Accumulation of atrazine in maize increased with increasing exposure concentration.The abscisic acid（ABA） content was positively correlated with the atrazine concentrations in maize roots and shoots（p 0.05）.Hydroxyl radical（.OH） in maize was determined in vivo with electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy.Its intensity was positively correlated with atrazine concentration in roots and shoots（p 0.05）,and higher level of.OH generated in roots than in shoots corresponded to the major accumulation of atrazine in roots.Superoxide dismutase,peroxidase and catalase in roots were up-regulated by atrazine exposure at 1 mg/L compared to the control and malondialdehyde content in roots was enhanced when atrazine exposure concentration reached 10 mg/L.These results suggested the exposure and accumulation of atrazine caused oxidative toxicity and antioxidant response in maize.展开更多
The zinc finger homeodomain(ZF-HD)genes belong to the homeobox gene family,playing critical roles in flower development and stress response.Despite their importance,however,to date there has been no genome-wide identi...The zinc finger homeodomain(ZF-HD)genes belong to the homeobox gene family,playing critical roles in flower development and stress response.Despite their importance,however,to date there has been no genome-wide identification and characterization of the ZF-HD genes that are probably involved in stress responses in maize.In this study,24 ZF-HD genes were identified,and their chromosomal locations,protein properties,duplication patterns,structures,conserved motifs and expression patterns were investigated.The results revealed that the ZF-HD genes are unevenly distributed on nine chromosomes and that most of these genes lack introns.Six and two ZF-HD genes have undergone segmental and tandem duplication,respectively,during genome expansion.These 24 ZF-HD transcription factors were classified into six major groups on the basis of protein molecular evolutionary relationship.The expression profiles of these genes in different tissues were evaluated,resulting in producing two distinct clusters.ZF-HD genes are preferentially expressed in reproductive tissues.Furthermore,expression profiles of the 24 ZF-HD genes in response to different kinds of stresses revealed that ten genes were simultaneously up-regulated under ABA,salt and PEG treatments;meanwhile four genes were simultaneously down-regulated.These findings will pave the way for deciphering the function and mechanism of ZF-HD genes on how to implicate in abiotic stress.展开更多
Maize(Zea mays L.)is an indispensable crop worldwide for food,feed,and bioenergy production.Fusarium verticillioides(F.verticillioides)is a widely distributed phytopathogen and incites multiple destructive diseases in...Maize(Zea mays L.)is an indispensable crop worldwide for food,feed,and bioenergy production.Fusarium verticillioides(F.verticillioides)is a widely distributed phytopathogen and incites multiple destructive diseases in maize:seedling blight,stalk rot,ear rot,and seed rot.As a soil-,seed-,and airborne pathogen,F.verticillioides can survive in soil or plant residue and systemically infect maize via roots,contaminated seed,silks,or external wounds,posing a severe threat to maize production and quality.Infection triggers complex immune responses:induction of defense-response genes,changes in reactive oxygen species,plant hormone levels and oxylipins,and alterations in secondary metabolites such as flavonoids,phenylpropanoids,phenolic compounds,and benzoxazinoid defense compounds.Breeding resistant maize cultivars is the preferred approach to reducing F.verticillioides infection and mycotoxin contamination.Reliable phenotyping systems are prerequisites for elucidating the genetic structure and molecular mechanism of maize resistance to F.verticillioides.Although many F.verticillioides resistance genes have been identified by genome-wide association study,linkage analysis,bulkedsegregant analysis,and various omics technologies,few have been functionally validated and applied in molecular breeding.This review summarizes research progress on the infection cycle of F.verticillioides in maize,phenotyping evaluation systems for F.verticillioides resistance,quantitative trait loci and genes associated with F.verticillioides resistance,and molecular mechanisms underlying maize defense against F.verticillioides,and discusses potential avenues for molecular design breeding to improve maize resistance to F.verticillioides.展开更多
[Objective]The aim was to optimize SSR reaction system applied in the identification of authenticity of maize variety.[Method]The technical parameters of SSR including PCR reaction system,annealing temperature and ele...[Objective]The aim was to optimize SSR reaction system applied in the identification of authenticity of maize variety.[Method]The technical parameters of SSR including PCR reaction system,annealing temperature and electrophoresis time were optimized to identify 10 major maize varieties in Liaoning Province.[Result]The optimum PCR reaction system was：14.60 μl sterile ultrapure water,2.00 μl 10 × Buffer（Mg2＋）,1.20 μl dNTPs,0.20 μl Taq enzyme,0.50 μl each of the forward and reverse primers and1.00 μl DNA stock solution.Annealing temperature and electrophoresis time could greatly influence the results of PCR amplification.The optimal annealing temperature and electrophoresis time required for the ideal electrophoresis bands under the same conditions were different when different primers were used.[Conclusion]The system was feasible to be applied in rapid identification of authenticity of hybrid maize varieties.展开更多
Grain filling is the physiological process for determining the obtainment of yield in cereal crops.The grain-filling characteristics of 50 maize brand hybrids released from 1964 to 2014 in China were assayed across mu...Grain filling is the physiological process for determining the obtainment of yield in cereal crops.The grain-filling characteristics of 50 maize brand hybrids released from 1964 to 2014 in China were assayed across multiple environments.We found that the grain-filling duration(54.46%)and rate(43.40%)at the effective grain-filling phase greatly contributed to the final performance parameter of 100-kernel weight(HKW).Meanwhile,along with the significant increase in HKW,the accumulated growing degree days(GDDs)for the actual grain-filling period duration(AFPD)among the selected brand hybrids released from the 1960s to the 2010s in China had a decadal increase of 23.41℃ d.However,there was a decadal increase of only 19.76℃ d for GDDs of the days from sowing to physiological maturity(DPM),which was also demonstrated by a continuous decrease in the ratio between the days from sowing to silking(DS)and DPM(i.e.,from 53.24%in the 1960s to 49.78%in the 2010s).In contrast,there were no significant changes in grain-filling rate along with the release years of the selected hybrids.Moreover,the stability of grain-filling characteristics across environments also significantly increased along with the hybrid release years.We also found that the exotic hybrids showed a longer grain-filling duration at the effective grain-filling phase and more stability of the grain-filling characteristics than those of the Chinese local hybrids.According to the results of this study,it is expected that the relatively longer grain-filling duration,shorter DS,higher grain-filling rate,and steady grain-filling characteristics would contribute to the yield improvement of maize hybrids in the future.展开更多
Gibberellin(GA)functions in plant growth and development.However,genes involved in the biosynthesis and regulation of GA in crop plants are poorly understood.We isolated the mutant gad5-1(GAAssociated Dwarf 5),charact...Gibberellin(GA)functions in plant growth and development.However,genes involved in the biosynthesis and regulation of GA in crop plants are poorly understood.We isolated the mutant gad5-1(GAAssociated Dwarf 5),characterized by dwarfing,short internodes,and dark green and short leaves.Map-based gene cloning and allelic verification confirmed that ZmGAD5 encodes ent-kaurenoic acid oxidase(KAO),which catalyzes KA(ent-kaurenoic acid)to GA12 conversion during GA biosynthesis in maize.ZmGAD5 is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and is present in multiple maize organs.In gad5-1,the expression of ZmGAD5 is severely reduced,and the levels of the direct substrate of KAO,KA,is increased,leading to a reduction in GA content.The abnormal phenotype of gad5-1 was restored by exogenous application of GA3.The biomass,plant height,and levels of GA12 and GA3 in transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing ZmGAD5 were increased in comparison with the corresponding controls Col-0.These findings deepen our understanding of genes involved in GA biosynthesis,and could lead to the development of maize lines with improved architecture and higher planting-density tolerance.展开更多
Improvement in seed vigor under adverse condition is an important object in maize breeding nowadays. Because the higher sowing quality of seeds is necessary for the development of the agriculture production and better...Improvement in seed vigor under adverse condition is an important object in maize breeding nowadays. Because the higher sowing quality of seeds is necessary for the development of the agriculture production and better able to resist all kinds of adversity in the seeds storage. So it is helpful for long-term preservation of germplasm resource. In our study, two connected recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations, which derived from the crosses Yu82 × Shen137 and Yu537A × Shen137 respectively, were evaluated for four related traits of seed vigor under three aging treatments. Meta-analysis was used to integrate genetic maps and detected QTL across two populations. In total, 74 QTL and 20 meta-QTL (mQTL) were detected. All QTLs with contributions (R2) over 10% were consistently detected in at least one of aging treatments and integrated in mQTL. Four key mQTLs (mQTL2-2, mQTL5-3, mQTL6 and mQTL8) with R2 of some initial QTLs > 10% included 5-9 initial QTLs associated with 2-4 traits. Therefore, the chromosome regions for four mQTLs with high QTL co-localization might be hot spots of the important QTLs for the associated traits. Twenty-two key candidate genes regulating four related traits of seed vigor mapped in 14 corresponding mQTLs. In particular, At5g67360, 45238345/At1g70730/At1g09640 and 298201206 were mapped within the important mQTL5-3, mQTL6 and mQTL8 regions, respectively. Fine mapping or construction of single chromosome segment lines for genetic regions of the three mQTLs is worth further study and could be put to use molecular marker-assisted breeding and pyramiding QTLs in maize.展开更多
Cell wall architecture plays a key role in stalk strength and forage digestibility.Lignin,cellulose,and hemicellulose are the three main components of plant cell walls,and they can impact stalk quality by affecting th...Cell wall architecture plays a key role in stalk strength and forage digestibility.Lignin,cellulose,and hemicellulose are the three main components of plant cell walls,and they can impact stalk quality by affecting the structure and strength of the cell wall.To explore cell wall development during secondary cell wall lignification in maize stalks,conventional and conditional genetic mapping were used to identify the dynamic quantitative trait loci(QTLs)of the cell wall components and digestibility traits during five growth stages after silking.Acid detergent lignin(ADL),cellulose(CEL),acid detergent fiber(ADF),neutral detergent fiber(NDF),and in vitro dry matter digestibility(IVDMD)were evaluated in a maize recombinant inbred line(RIL)population.ADL,CEL,ADF,and NDF gradually increased from 10 to 40 days after silking(DAS),and then they decreased.IVDMD initially decreased until 40 DAS,and then it increased slightly.Seventytwo QTLs were identified for the five traits,and each accounted for 3.48–24.04%of the phenotypic variation.Six QTL hotspots were found,and they were localized in the 1.08,2.04,2.07,7.03,8.05,and 9.03 bins of the maize genome.Within the interval of the pleiotropic QTL identified in bin 1.08 of the maize genome,six genes associated with cell wall component biosynthesis were identified as potential candidate genes for stalk strength as well as cell wall-related traits.In addition,26 conditional QTLs were detected in the five stages for all of the investigated traits.Twenty-two of the 26 conditional QTLs were found at 30 DAS conditioned using the values of 20 DAS,and at 50 DAS conditioned using the values of 40 DAS.These results indicated that cell wall-related traits are regulated by many genes,which are specifically expressed at different stages after silking.Simultaneous improvements in both forage digestibility and lodging resistance could be achieved by pyramiding multiple beneficial QTL alleles identified in this study.展开更多
Accurate determination of the moisture content in maize kernels conduces to screen maize germplasm materials with efficient dehydration.Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance(LF-NMR)single-kernel non-destructive testing...Accurate determination of the moisture content in maize kernels conduces to screen maize germplasm materials with efficient dehydration.Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance(LF-NMR)single-kernel non-destructive testing technology was used to determine the moisture content at different phase states in the kernels for selected types of maize.The NMR T 2 relaxation inversion spectrum was monitored in maize kernels to determine the variation in the moisture content in different phase states with time.The total water and free water peaked at the filling stage of the maize kernels and then declined to a minimum at physiological maturity.The semi-bound water generally increased to a long-lasting peak in the dough stage and then declined.The bound water increased from kernel formation to maturity and then remained stable.The contents of total water,free water,semi-bound water,and bound water had significant differences among kernel types but not among varieties of the same type.The contents of semi-bound water and free water were linearly correlated with the dehydration rates of the kernels.The results of this study can provide a means for creating new germplasm materials.展开更多
The phytohormone auxin plays a central role in coordinating plant growth and development.GH3 is one of the three gene families that respond rapidly during auxin stimulation.Here,we report the identification and charac...The phytohormone auxin plays a central role in coordinating plant growth and development.GH3 is one of the three gene families that respond rapidly during auxin stimulation.Here,we report the identification and characterization of the GH3 gene family in maize.A total of 12 GH3 genes were identified,which are not evenly distributed over the 10 maize chromosomes.Maize GH3 protein sequences share a conserved domain which occupies nearly the entire protein.Diversified c/＇s-elements were found in promoters of maize GH3 genes.In this study,the 12 maize GH3 proteins were primarily classified into two phylogenetic groups,similar to the 13 rice GH3 proteins,while 9 of the 19 Arabidopsis GH3 proteins were observed in the third phylogenetic group.Microarray analysis showed that expression of maize GH3 genes is temporally and spatially modulated.Additionally,maize GH3 genes displayed variable changes at transcript level upon pathogen infection.Results presented here provide insight into the diversification and evolution of GH3 proteins,and lay a foundation for the functional characterization of these GH3 genes in future,especially for elucidating the mechanisms of GH3-mediated pathogenesis.展开更多
Seed size play a significant role in maize yield production. Two maize inbred lines with distinct seed size and weight, V671（a large-seed inbred line） and Mc（a small-seed inbred line）, were investigated by RNA-seq...Seed size play a significant role in maize yield production. Two maize inbred lines with distinct seed size and weight, V671（a large-seed inbred line） and Mc（a small-seed inbred line）, were investigated by RNA-seq at 14 days after pollination（DAP）, when maize endosperm undergoes an active transition from mitosis to storage accumulation. RNA-seq expression data showed that the small-seed line Mc had a higher storage accumulation activity, whereas the large-seed kernel line V671 possessed a higher DNA synthesis activity. An investigation of the pattern of increasing kernel width at serial DAPs showed that V671 experienced an increased kernel width later than did Mc, but the rate and duration of increase were longer in V671. SDS-PAGE of the storage proteins and quantitative RT-PCR of cell cycle-related genes and indole-3-acetic（IAA） synthesis genes certified that the transition from mitosis to storage accumulation starts earlier in Mc. We hypothesized that the difference in the mitosis-to-storage accumulation transition accounts for the larger seed size in V671 vs. Mc.展开更多
Grain size and shape are important factors for yield and quality.The difference in grain phenotypic characteristics in the same maize hybrid is related to its position in the ear.This study aimed to clarify the distri...Grain size and shape are important factors for yield and quality.The difference in grain phenotypic characteristics in the same maize hybrid is related to its position in the ear.This study aimed to clarify the distribution characteristics of grain morphological characteristics in the ear and to provide guidance for research of grain phenotype and kernel position effects.Three maize hybrids were used in the experiment,namely,Denghai 618(DH618),KX3564,and Xianyu 335(XY335),and the kernel number per row were 40,40,and 36,respectively.The X-rayμCT was applied to obtain five kernel morphological indicators,including grain length,width,thickness,volume,surface area.Grain sphericity,length-width ratio,specific surface area,and volume coefficient were further calculated.The results showed that there were three types of maize ear morphological indicators trends:grain length,width,volume,and surface area were parabolic;thickness and sphericity were inverted parabolic;length-to-width ratio and specific surface area were irregular.The volume coefficient of grain at different parts of the ear,namely the relation coefficient between grain volume and grain length,width,and thickness,was determined.The average value of the middle grains morphological indicators of the ear was taken to select kernels representing stable characteristics of the variety.Within the range of 5%deviation from the morphological mean value of the middle grains of the ear,the grains in the middle part accounted for 26.39%of the total ear,about 10 grains extending from the 14th grain at the base of the ear to the top.Within the range of 10%deviation,the middle accounted for 47.22%,about 18 grains extending from the 12th grain at the base of the ear to the top.This study found that grain morphological indicators were greatly different at different positions of the maize ear,and showed different change rules as extend from the base to the top of the ear.Therefore,there were different grain volume coefficients at different positions of maize ear.And the rep展开更多
Ear morphological traits such as volume and shape are important features of maize and the quantitative associations among them can help understand kernel yield determination. 150 mature ears each of 4 maize cultivars ...Ear morphological traits such as volume and shape are important features of maize and the quantitative associations among them can help understand kernel yield determination. 150 mature ears each of 4 maize cultivars were collected from field experiments, and ear length(L), diameter(D), area(S) and volume(V) were recorded for individual ears, kernel weight per ear also recorded for a portion of the examined ears. Following principles of dimensional analysis, 8 theoretical equations of 3 sets,which relate ear higher dimensions to its length and diameter, were developed and parameterized and validated with the field observations. The 3 optimized equations showed that the shape of ears in maize can be featured with 3 dimensionless form factors, namely diameter-to-length ratio(c=D/L), areal form factor(b=S/L/D), and volumetric form factor(a=V/L/D/D). Statistically,all of them were significantly different among cultivars, and a's values varied from 0.582 to 0.612, and b's 0.839-0.868, and c's 0.242-0.308. Volumetric form factor and areal form factor could estimate precisely ear volume and area respectively, but diameter-to-length ratio was not suitable to estimate ear diameter by its length. Ear volume explained almost all variation of ear kernel weight and product L*D*D did the same substantially. Dimensional analysis proved to be promising in understanding relationship among morphological traits of ears in maize. Its application in crop researches should improve our knowledge of the physical properties of crop plants.展开更多
The bacterial brown spot disease（BBS）, caused primarily by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae van Hall（Pss）, reduces plant vigor, yield and quality in maize. To reveal the nature of the defense mechanisms and ident...The bacterial brown spot disease（BBS）, caused primarily by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae van Hall（Pss）, reduces plant vigor, yield and quality in maize. To reveal the nature of the defense mechanisms and identify genes involved in the effective host resistance, the dynamic changes of defense transcriptome triggered by the infection of Pss were investigated and compared between two maize near-isogenic lines（NILs）. We found that Pss infection resulted in a sophisticated transcriptional reprogramming of several biological processes and the resistant NIL employed much faster defense responses than the susceptible NIL. Numerous genes encoding essential components of plant basal resistance would be able to be activated in the susceptible NIL, such as PEN1, PEN2, PEN3, and EDR1, however, in a basic manner, such resistance might not be sufficient for suppressing Pss pathogenesis. In addition, the expressions of a large number of PTI-, ETI-, PR-, and WRKY-related genes were pronouncedly activated in the resistant NIL, suggesting that maize employ a multitude of defense pathways to defend Pss infection. Six R-gene homologs were identified to have significantly higher expression levels in the resistant NIL at early time point, indicating that a robust surveillance system（gene-to-gene model） might operate in maize during Pss attacks, and these homolog genes are likely to be potential candidate resistance genes involved in BBS disease resistance. Furthermore, a holistic group of novel pathogen-responsive genes were defined, providing the repertoire of candidate genes for further functional characterization and identification of their regulation patterns during pathogen infection.展开更多
基金supported by the Chinese National Public Scientific Research (201203031)the Chinese National Corn Industry Technology System (CARS-02-26)the Chinese Postdoctoral Science Foundation Project funded on the surface (2013M 541092)
文摘The calculation method of potential evapotranspiration（PET） was improved by adopting a more reliable PET estimate based on the Penman-Monteith equation into the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index（SPEI） in this study（SPEI PM）. This improvement increased the applicability of SPEI in North China Plain（NCP）. The historic meteorological data during 1962–2011 were used to calculate SPEI PM. The detrended yields of maize from Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Beijing, and Tianjin provinces/cities of NCP were obtained by linear sliding average method. Then regression analysis was made to study the relationships between detrended yields and SPEI values. Different time scales were applied, and thus SPEI PM was mentioned as SPEI PMk-j（k=time scale, 1, 2, 3, 4,…, 24 mon; j=month, 1, 2, 3,..., 12）, among which SPEI PM3-8 reflected the water condition from June to August, a period of heavy precipitation and vigorous growth of maize in NCP. SPEI PM3-8 was highly correlated with detrended yield in this region, which can effectively evaluate the effect of drought on maize yield. Additionally, this relationship becomes more significant in recent 20 yr. The regression model based on the SPEI series explained 64.8% of the variability of the annual detrended yield in Beijing, 45.2% in Henan, 58.6% in Shandong, and 54.6% in Hebei. Moreover, when SPEI PM3-8 is in the range of –0.6 to 1.1, –0.9 to 0.8 and –0.8 to 2.3, the detrended yield increases in Shandong, Henan and Beijing. The yield increasing range was during normal water condition in Shandong and Henan, where precipitation was abundant. It indicated that the field management matched well with local water condition and thus allowed stable and high yield. Maize yield increase in these two provinces in the future can be realized by further improving water use efficiency and enhancing the stress resistance as well as yield stability. In Hebei and Beijing, the precipitation is less and thus the normal water condition cannot meet the high yield tar
基金Supported by Supporting Program for Sci & Tech Research of China(2009BADA6B01)Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province(090411017)~~
文摘[Objective] The aim of this study was to investigate the dry matter accumulation,moisture content in maize kernel and their influences on mechanical harvesting.[Methods] Using Zhengdan 958,Xianyu 335,Hongda 8 and Liyu 16 as experimental materials,we preliminarily measured the dynamic changes of dry matter accumulation and moisture content with the days after pollination lasted,and investigated the effect of moisture content in kernels on mechanical harvesting of Zhengdan 958 and Liyu 16.[Results] During summer growing season,Zhengdan 958 and Liyu 16 became physiologically mature and suitable for harvesting at about 51 days after pollination,Xianyu 335 and Hongda 8 required 58 days to become physiologically mature and suitable for harvesting after pollination.At physiologically mature stage,the moisture contents in kernels of Zhengdan 958,Xianyu 335,Hongda 8 and Liyu 16 were respectively 33.74%,28.86%,32.05% and 35.24%,respectively.Adopting mechanical harvesting at physiologically mature stage,the kernel loss rate of Zhengdan 958 and Liyu 16 was consistent with the range of mechanical operation index（kernel loss rate of 0.84%≤2%）,while the percentage of broken kernels did not accord with the range of mechanical operation index（kernel crashing rate of 10.12%≧1%）.The results indicate that Zhengdan 958 and Liyu 16 are not suitable for mechanical harvesting using full feeding combine havester.[Conclusion] This study provided theoretical basis for improving the maize harvest index under delayed harvesting.
基金financially supported by the grants from the Agriculture Thoroughbred Industrialization of Shandong Province(No.2011-7)the Ministry of Agriculture of China(Nos.2008ZX08003-003 and 2009ZX08003-023B)the National High-tech‘863' Program of China(No. 2012AA101104)
文摘Maize（Zea mays L.） is a commercially important crop.Its yield can be reduced by mutations in biosynthetic and degradative pathways that cause death.In this paper,we describe the necrotic leaf（nec-t） mutant,which was obtained from an inbred line,81647.The nec-t mutant plants had yellow leaves with necrotic spots,reduced chlorophyll content,and the etiolated seedlings died under normal growth conditions.Transmission electron microscopy revealed scattered thylakoids,and reduced numbers of grana lamellae and chloroplasts per cell.Histochemical staining suggested that spot formation of nec-t leaves might be due to cell death.Genetic analysis showed that necrosis was caused by the mutation of a recessive locus.Using simple sequence repeat markers,the Nec-t gene was mapped between mmc0111 and bnlg2277 on the short arm of chromosome 2.A total of 1287 individuals with the mutant phenotype from a F_2 population were used for physical mapping.The Nec-t gene was located between markers T31 and H8 within a physical region of 131.7 kb.
基金supported by the National Key Technology R&D Program of China (2011BAD35B00)the National Nature Science Foundation of China (31271732)
文摘Seed aging decreases the quality and vigor of crop seeds,thereby causing substantial agricultural and economic losses in crops.To identify genetic differences in seed aging between homozygotes and heterozygotes in maize,the seeds of a set of recombinant inbred lines(RILs) and an immortalized F_2(IF_2) population were subjected to artificial aging treatments for 0,2,3,and 4 days under 45℃ and 85%relative humidity and seed vigor was then evaluated in a field experiment.Seed vigor of all entries tested decreased sharply with longer aging treatment and seed vigor decreased more slowly in heterozygotes than in homozygotes.Forty-nine QTL were detected for four measured seed vigor traits in the RIL(28QTL) and IF_2(21 QTL) populations.Only one QTL,qGP5,was detected in both populations,indicating that the genes involved in anti-aging mechanisms differed between inbred lines and hybrids.Several QTL were identified to be responsible for multiple seed vigor traits simultaneously in the RIL and IF_2 populations under artificial aging conditions.These QTL may include major genes for seed vigor or seed aging.QTL qVI4 b and qGE3 a detected in the RIL population coincided with genes ZmLOX1 and ZmPLD1 in the same respective chromosomal regions.These QTL would be useful for screening for anti-aging genes in maize breeding.
基金supported by the Sci-Tech Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Y2016PT10)
文摘Drought is one of the most important abiotic stresses affecting maize growth and development and therefore resulting in yield loss.Thus it is essential to understand molecular mechanisms of drought stress responses in maize for drought tolerance improvement.The root plays a critical role in plants sensing water deficit.In the present study,two maize inbred lines,H082183,a drought-tolerant line,and Lv28,a drought-sensitive line,were grown in the field and treated with different water conditions(moderate drought,severe drought,and well-watered conditions)during vegetative stage.The transcriptomes of their roots were investigated by RNA sequencing.There were 1428 and 512 drought-responsive genes(DRGs)in Lv28,688 and 3363 DRGs in H082183 under moderate drought and severe drought,respectively.A total of 31 Gene Ontology(GO)terms were significantly over-represented in the two lines,13 of which were enriched only in the DRGs of H082183.Based on results of Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)enrichment analysis,"plant hormone signal transduction"and"starch and sucrose metabolism"were enriched in both of the two lines,while"phenylpropanoid biosynthesis"was only enriched in H082183.Further analysis revealed the different expression patterns of genes related to abscisic acid(ABA)signal pathway,trehalose biosynthesis,reactive oxygen scavenging,and transcription factors might contribute to drought tolerance in maize.Our results contribute to illustrating drought-responsive molecular mechanisms and providing gene resources for maize drought improvement.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2009CB421603)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40730740,20921063)
文摘Atrazine accumulation,oxidative stress,and defense response in maize seedlings exposed to extraneous atrazine were studied.Accumulation of atrazine in maize increased with increasing exposure concentration.The abscisic acid（ABA） content was positively correlated with the atrazine concentrations in maize roots and shoots（p 0.05）.Hydroxyl radical（.OH） in maize was determined in vivo with electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy.Its intensity was positively correlated with atrazine concentration in roots and shoots（p 0.05）,and higher level of.OH generated in roots than in shoots corresponded to the major accumulation of atrazine in roots.Superoxide dismutase,peroxidase and catalase in roots were up-regulated by atrazine exposure at 1 mg/L compared to the control and malondialdehyde content in roots was enhanced when atrazine exposure concentration reached 10 mg/L.These results suggested the exposure and accumulation of atrazine caused oxidative toxicity and antioxidant response in maize.
基金supported by Importing,Cultivation and Production for Special Maize(2020LYXZ032).
文摘The zinc finger homeodomain(ZF-HD)genes belong to the homeobox gene family,playing critical roles in flower development and stress response.Despite their importance,however,to date there has been no genome-wide identification and characterization of the ZF-HD genes that are probably involved in stress responses in maize.In this study,24 ZF-HD genes were identified,and their chromosomal locations,protein properties,duplication patterns,structures,conserved motifs and expression patterns were investigated.The results revealed that the ZF-HD genes are unevenly distributed on nine chromosomes and that most of these genes lack introns.Six and two ZF-HD genes have undergone segmental and tandem duplication,respectively,during genome expansion.These 24 ZF-HD transcription factors were classified into six major groups on the basis of protein molecular evolutionary relationship.The expression profiles of these genes in different tissues were evaluated,resulting in producing two distinct clusters.ZF-HD genes are preferentially expressed in reproductive tissues.Furthermore,expression profiles of the 24 ZF-HD genes in response to different kinds of stresses revealed that ten genes were simultaneously up-regulated under ABA,salt and PEG treatments;meanwhile four genes were simultaneously down-regulated.These findings will pave the way for deciphering the function and mechanism of ZF-HD genes on how to implicate in abiotic stress.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32201787,32201793)the Innovation Special Program of Henan Agricultural University for Science and Technology(30501044)the Special Support Fund for High-Level Talents of Henan Agricultural University(30501302).
文摘Maize(Zea mays L.)is an indispensable crop worldwide for food,feed,and bioenergy production.Fusarium verticillioides(F.verticillioides)is a widely distributed phytopathogen and incites multiple destructive diseases in maize:seedling blight,stalk rot,ear rot,and seed rot.As a soil-,seed-,and airborne pathogen,F.verticillioides can survive in soil or plant residue and systemically infect maize via roots,contaminated seed,silks,or external wounds,posing a severe threat to maize production and quality.Infection triggers complex immune responses:induction of defense-response genes,changes in reactive oxygen species,plant hormone levels and oxylipins,and alterations in secondary metabolites such as flavonoids,phenylpropanoids,phenolic compounds,and benzoxazinoid defense compounds.Breeding resistant maize cultivars is the preferred approach to reducing F.verticillioides infection and mycotoxin contamination.Reliable phenotyping systems are prerequisites for elucidating the genetic structure and molecular mechanism of maize resistance to F.verticillioides.Although many F.verticillioides resistance genes have been identified by genome-wide association study,linkage analysis,bulkedsegregant analysis,and various omics technologies,few have been functionally validated and applied in molecular breeding.This review summarizes research progress on the infection cycle of F.verticillioides in maize,phenotyping evaluation systems for F.verticillioides resistance,quantitative trait loci and genes associated with F.verticillioides resistance,and molecular mechanisms underlying maize defense against F.verticillioides,and discusses potential avenues for molecular design breeding to improve maize resistance to F.verticillioides.
文摘[Objective]The aim was to optimize SSR reaction system applied in the identification of authenticity of maize variety.[Method]The technical parameters of SSR including PCR reaction system,annealing temperature and electrophoresis time were optimized to identify 10 major maize varieties in Liaoning Province.[Result]The optimum PCR reaction system was：14.60 μl sterile ultrapure water,2.00 μl 10 × Buffer（Mg2＋）,1.20 μl dNTPs,0.20 μl Taq enzyme,0.50 μl each of the forward and reverse primers and1.00 μl DNA stock solution.Annealing temperature and electrophoresis time could greatly influence the results of PCR amplification.The optimal annealing temperature and electrophoresis time required for the ideal electrophoresis bands under the same conditions were different when different primers were used.[Conclusion]The system was feasible to be applied in rapid identification of authenticity of hybrid maize varieties.
基金partly supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2016YFD0100303 and 2016YFD0100103)the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Non-Profit of Institute of Crop Sciences,Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(Y2020YJ09 and CAAS-ZDRW202109)the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program,China(ASTIP)。
文摘Grain filling is the physiological process for determining the obtainment of yield in cereal crops.The grain-filling characteristics of 50 maize brand hybrids released from 1964 to 2014 in China were assayed across multiple environments.We found that the grain-filling duration(54.46%)and rate(43.40%)at the effective grain-filling phase greatly contributed to the final performance parameter of 100-kernel weight(HKW).Meanwhile,along with the significant increase in HKW,the accumulated growing degree days(GDDs)for the actual grain-filling period duration(AFPD)among the selected brand hybrids released from the 1960s to the 2010s in China had a decadal increase of 23.41℃ d.However,there was a decadal increase of only 19.76℃ d for GDDs of the days from sowing to physiological maturity(DPM),which was also demonstrated by a continuous decrease in the ratio between the days from sowing to silking(DS)and DPM(i.e.,from 53.24%in the 1960s to 49.78%in the 2010s).In contrast,there were no significant changes in grain-filling rate along with the release years of the selected hybrids.Moreover,the stability of grain-filling characteristics across environments also significantly increased along with the hybrid release years.We also found that the exotic hybrids showed a longer grain-filling duration at the effective grain-filling phase and more stability of the grain-filling characteristics than those of the Chinese local hybrids.According to the results of this study,it is expected that the relatively longer grain-filling duration,shorter DS,higher grain-filling rate,and steady grain-filling characteristics would contribute to the yield improvement of maize hybrids in the future.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U21A20206,Chun-Peng Song)the Project of Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City(SCKJJYRC-2022-78,Baozhu Li)+1 种基金the Program for Innovative Research Team(in Science and Technology)in University of Henan Province(21IRTSTHN019,Siyi Guo)the 111 Project of China(D16014).
文摘Gibberellin(GA)functions in plant growth and development.However,genes involved in the biosynthesis and regulation of GA in crop plants are poorly understood.We isolated the mutant gad5-1(GAAssociated Dwarf 5),characterized by dwarfing,short internodes,and dark green and short leaves.Map-based gene cloning and allelic verification confirmed that ZmGAD5 encodes ent-kaurenoic acid oxidase(KAO),which catalyzes KA(ent-kaurenoic acid)to GA12 conversion during GA biosynthesis in maize.ZmGAD5 is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and is present in multiple maize organs.In gad5-1,the expression of ZmGAD5 is severely reduced,and the levels of the direct substrate of KAO,KA,is increased,leading to a reduction in GA content.The abnormal phenotype of gad5-1 was restored by exogenous application of GA3.The biomass,plant height,and levels of GA12 and GA3 in transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing ZmGAD5 were increased in comparison with the corresponding controls Col-0.These findings deepen our understanding of genes involved in GA biosynthesis,and could lead to the development of maize lines with improved architecture and higher planting-density tolerance.
文摘Improvement in seed vigor under adverse condition is an important object in maize breeding nowadays. Because the higher sowing quality of seeds is necessary for the development of the agriculture production and better able to resist all kinds of adversity in the seeds storage. So it is helpful for long-term preservation of germplasm resource. In our study, two connected recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations, which derived from the crosses Yu82 × Shen137 and Yu537A × Shen137 respectively, were evaluated for four related traits of seed vigor under three aging treatments. Meta-analysis was used to integrate genetic maps and detected QTL across two populations. In total, 74 QTL and 20 meta-QTL (mQTL) were detected. All QTLs with contributions (R2) over 10% were consistently detected in at least one of aging treatments and integrated in mQTL. Four key mQTLs (mQTL2-2, mQTL5-3, mQTL6 and mQTL8) with R2 of some initial QTLs > 10% included 5-9 initial QTLs associated with 2-4 traits. Therefore, the chromosome regions for four mQTLs with high QTL co-localization might be hot spots of the important QTLs for the associated traits. Twenty-two key candidate genes regulating four related traits of seed vigor mapped in 14 corresponding mQTLs. In particular, At5g67360, 45238345/At1g70730/At1g09640 and 298201206 were mapped within the important mQTL5-3, mQTL6 and mQTL8 regions, respectively. Fine mapping or construction of single chromosome segment lines for genetic regions of the three mQTLs is worth further study and could be put to use molecular marker-assisted breeding and pyramiding QTLs in maize.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31801367)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2016YFD0101200)the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
文摘Cell wall architecture plays a key role in stalk strength and forage digestibility.Lignin,cellulose,and hemicellulose are the three main components of plant cell walls,and they can impact stalk quality by affecting the structure and strength of the cell wall.To explore cell wall development during secondary cell wall lignification in maize stalks,conventional and conditional genetic mapping were used to identify the dynamic quantitative trait loci(QTLs)of the cell wall components and digestibility traits during five growth stages after silking.Acid detergent lignin(ADL),cellulose(CEL),acid detergent fiber(ADF),neutral detergent fiber(NDF),and in vitro dry matter digestibility(IVDMD)were evaluated in a maize recombinant inbred line(RIL)population.ADL,CEL,ADF,and NDF gradually increased from 10 to 40 days after silking(DAS),and then they decreased.IVDMD initially decreased until 40 DAS,and then it increased slightly.Seventytwo QTLs were identified for the five traits,and each accounted for 3.48–24.04%of the phenotypic variation.Six QTL hotspots were found,and they were localized in the 1.08,2.04,2.07,7.03,8.05,and 9.03 bins of the maize genome.Within the interval of the pleiotropic QTL identified in bin 1.08 of the maize genome,six genes associated with cell wall component biosynthesis were identified as potential candidate genes for stalk strength as well as cell wall-related traits.In addition,26 conditional QTLs were detected in the five stages for all of the investigated traits.Twenty-two of the 26 conditional QTLs were found at 30 DAS conditioned using the values of 20 DAS,and at 50 DAS conditioned using the values of 40 DAS.These results indicated that cell wall-related traits are regulated by many genes,which are specifically expressed at different stages after silking.Simultaneous improvements in both forage digestibility and lodging resistance could be achieved by pyramiding multiple beneficial QTL alleles identified in this study.
基金supported by the Educational Department of Liaoning Province Key Project(Grant No.LSNZD202005).
文摘Accurate determination of the moisture content in maize kernels conduces to screen maize germplasm materials with efficient dehydration.Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance(LF-NMR)single-kernel non-destructive testing technology was used to determine the moisture content at different phase states in the kernels for selected types of maize.The NMR T 2 relaxation inversion spectrum was monitored in maize kernels to determine the variation in the moisture content in different phase states with time.The total water and free water peaked at the filling stage of the maize kernels and then declined to a minimum at physiological maturity.The semi-bound water generally increased to a long-lasting peak in the dough stage and then declined.The bound water increased from kernel formation to maturity and then remained stable.The contents of total water,free water,semi-bound water,and bound water had significant differences among kernel types but not among varieties of the same type.The contents of semi-bound water and free water were linearly correlated with the dehydration rates of the kernels.The results of this study can provide a means for creating new germplasm materials.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31371625)
文摘The phytohormone auxin plays a central role in coordinating plant growth and development.GH3 is one of the three gene families that respond rapidly during auxin stimulation.Here,we report the identification and characterization of the GH3 gene family in maize.A total of 12 GH3 genes were identified,which are not evenly distributed over the 10 maize chromosomes.Maize GH3 protein sequences share a conserved domain which occupies nearly the entire protein.Diversified c/＇s-elements were found in promoters of maize GH3 genes.In this study,the 12 maize GH3 proteins were primarily classified into two phylogenetic groups,similar to the 13 rice GH3 proteins,while 9 of the 19 Arabidopsis GH3 proteins were observed in the third phylogenetic group.Microarray analysis showed that expression of maize GH3 genes is temporally and spatially modulated.Additionally,maize GH3 genes displayed variable changes at transcript level upon pathogen infection.Results presented here provide insight into the diversification and evolution of GH3 proteins,and lay a foundation for the functional characterization of these GH3 genes in future,especially for elucidating the mechanisms of GH3-mediated pathogenesis.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (91735306)the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, 2014CB138203)the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFD0100103-19)
文摘Seed size play a significant role in maize yield production. Two maize inbred lines with distinct seed size and weight, V671（a large-seed inbred line） and Mc（a small-seed inbred line）, were investigated by RNA-seq at 14 days after pollination（DAP）, when maize endosperm undergoes an active transition from mitosis to storage accumulation. RNA-seq expression data showed that the small-seed line Mc had a higher storage accumulation activity, whereas the large-seed kernel line V671 possessed a higher DNA synthesis activity. An investigation of the pattern of increasing kernel width at serial DAPs showed that V671 experienced an increased kernel width later than did Mc, but the rate and duration of increase were longer in V671. SDS-PAGE of the storage proteins and quantitative RT-PCR of cell cycle-related genes and indole-3-acetic（IAA） synthesis genes certified that the transition from mitosis to storage accumulation starts earlier in Mc. We hypothesized that the difference in the mitosis-to-storage accumulation transition accounts for the larger seed size in V671 vs. Mc.
基金The authors acknowledge that this work was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2018YFD0300405)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.31971849)+1 种基金earmarked Fund for Modern Agro-industry Technology Research System(CARS-02-25)the Science and Technology Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences for their financial support.
文摘Grain size and shape are important factors for yield and quality.The difference in grain phenotypic characteristics in the same maize hybrid is related to its position in the ear.This study aimed to clarify the distribution characteristics of grain morphological characteristics in the ear and to provide guidance for research of grain phenotype and kernel position effects.Three maize hybrids were used in the experiment,namely,Denghai 618(DH618),KX3564,and Xianyu 335(XY335),and the kernel number per row were 40,40,and 36,respectively.The X-rayμCT was applied to obtain five kernel morphological indicators,including grain length,width,thickness,volume,surface area.Grain sphericity,length-width ratio,specific surface area,and volume coefficient were further calculated.The results showed that there were three types of maize ear morphological indicators trends:grain length,width,volume,and surface area were parabolic;thickness and sphericity were inverted parabolic;length-to-width ratio and specific surface area were irregular.The volume coefficient of grain at different parts of the ear,namely the relation coefficient between grain volume and grain length,width,and thickness,was determined.The average value of the middle grains morphological indicators of the ear was taken to select kernels representing stable characteristics of the variety.Within the range of 5%deviation from the morphological mean value of the middle grains of the ear,the grains in the middle part accounted for 26.39%of the total ear,about 10 grains extending from the 14th grain at the base of the ear to the top.Within the range of 10%deviation,the middle accounted for 47.22%,about 18 grains extending from the 12th grain at the base of the ear to the top.This study found that grain morphological indicators were greatly different at different positions of the maize ear,and showed different change rules as extend from the base to the top of the ear.Therefore,there were different grain volume coefficients at different positions of maize ear.And the rep
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31271658)National Key Research and Development Program of China(2016YFD0300306)
文摘Ear morphological traits such as volume and shape are important features of maize and the quantitative associations among them can help understand kernel yield determination. 150 mature ears each of 4 maize cultivars were collected from field experiments, and ear length(L), diameter(D), area(S) and volume(V) were recorded for individual ears, kernel weight per ear also recorded for a portion of the examined ears. Following principles of dimensional analysis, 8 theoretical equations of 3 sets,which relate ear higher dimensions to its length and diameter, were developed and parameterized and validated with the field observations. The 3 optimized equations showed that the shape of ears in maize can be featured with 3 dimensionless form factors, namely diameter-to-length ratio(c=D/L), areal form factor(b=S/L/D), and volumetric form factor(a=V/L/D/D). Statistically,all of them were significantly different among cultivars, and a's values varied from 0.582 to 0.612, and b's 0.839-0.868, and c's 0.242-0.308. Volumetric form factor and areal form factor could estimate precisely ear volume and area respectively, but diameter-to-length ratio was not suitable to estimate ear diameter by its length. Ear volume explained almost all variation of ear kernel weight and product L*D*D did the same substantially. Dimensional analysis proved to be promising in understanding relationship among morphological traits of ears in maize. Its application in crop researches should improve our knowledge of the physical properties of crop plants.
基金supported by the National High-Tech R&D Program of China (2012AA10A305 and 2011AA10A103)
文摘The bacterial brown spot disease（BBS）, caused primarily by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae van Hall（Pss）, reduces plant vigor, yield and quality in maize. To reveal the nature of the defense mechanisms and identify genes involved in the effective host resistance, the dynamic changes of defense transcriptome triggered by the infection of Pss were investigated and compared between two maize near-isogenic lines（NILs）. We found that Pss infection resulted in a sophisticated transcriptional reprogramming of several biological processes and the resistant NIL employed much faster defense responses than the susceptible NIL. Numerous genes encoding essential components of plant basal resistance would be able to be activated in the susceptible NIL, such as PEN1, PEN2, PEN3, and EDR1, however, in a basic manner, such resistance might not be sufficient for suppressing Pss pathogenesis. In addition, the expressions of a large number of PTI-, ETI-, PR-, and WRKY-related genes were pronouncedly activated in the resistant NIL, suggesting that maize employ a multitude of defense pathways to defend Pss infection. Six R-gene homologs were identified to have significantly higher expression levels in the resistant NIL at early time point, indicating that a robust surveillance system（gene-to-gene model） might operate in maize during Pss attacks, and these homolog genes are likely to be potential candidate resistance genes involved in BBS disease resistance. Furthermore, a holistic group of novel pathogen-responsive genes were defined, providing the repertoire of candidate genes for further functional characterization and identification of their regulation patterns during pathogen infection.
