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Plant nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) B subunits confer drought tolerance and lead to improved corn yields on water-limited acres.

ABSTRACT: Commercially improved crop performance under drought conditions has been challenging because of the complexity of the trait and the multitude of factors that influence yield. Here we report the results of a functional genomics approach that identified a transcription factor from the nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) family, AtNF-YB1, which acts through a previously undescribed mechanism to confer improved performance in Arabidopsis under drought conditions. An orthologous maize transcription factor, ZmNF-YB2, is shown to have an equivalent activity. Under water-limited conditions, transgenic maize plants with increased ZmNF-YB2 expression show tolerance to drought based on the responses of a number of stress-related parameters, including chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, leaf temperature, reduced wilting, and maintenance of photosynthesis. These stress adaptations contribute to a grain yield advantage to maize under water-limited environments. The application of this technology has the potential to significantly impact maize production systems that experience drought.

SUBMITTER: Nelson DE

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2034233 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Plant nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) B subunits confer drought tolerance and lead to improved corn yields on water-limited acres.

Nelson Donald E DE Repetti Peter P PP Adams Tom R TR Creelman Robert A RA Wu Jingrui J Warner David C DC Anstrom Don C DC Bensen Robert J RJ Castiglioni Paolo P PP Donnarummo Meghan G MG Hinchey Brendan S BS Kumimoto Roderick W RW Maszle Don R DR Canales Roger D RD Krolikowski Katherine A KA Dotson Stanton B SB Gutterson Neal N Ratcliffe Oliver J OJ Heard Jacqueline E JE

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20071008 42

Commercially improved crop performance under drought conditions has been challenging because of the complexity of the trait and the multitude of factors that influence yield. Here we report the results of a functional genomics approach that identified a transcription factor from the nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) family, AtNF-YB1, which acts through a previously undescribed mechanism to confer improved performance in Arabidopsis under drought conditions. An orthologous maize transcription factor, ZmNF- ...[more]

PMID: 17923671

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Dataset Information

Plant nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) B subunits confer drought tolerance and lead to improved corn yields on water-limited acres.

Publications

Plant nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) B subunits confer drought tolerance and lead to improved corn yields on water-limited acres.

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