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Dissecting grain yield pathways and their interactions with grain dry matter content by a two-step correlation approach with maize seedling transcriptome.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The importance of maize for human and animal nutrition, but also as a source for bio-energy is rapidly increasing. Maize yield is a quantitative trait controlled by many genes with small effects, spread throughout the genome. The precise location of the genes and the identity of the gene networks underlying maize grain yield is unknown. The objective of our study was to contribute to the knowledge of these genes and gene networks by transcription profiling with microarrays. RESULTS: We assessed the grain yield and grain dry matter content (an indicator for early maturity) of 98 maize hybrids in multi-environment field trials. The gene expression in seedlings of the parental inbred lines, which have four different genetic backgrounds, was assessed with genome-scale oligonucleotide arrays. We identified genes associated with grain yield and grain dry matter content using a newly developed two-step correlation approach and found overlapping gene networks for both traits. The underlying metabolic pathways and biological processes were elucidated. Genes involved in sucrose degradation and glycolysis, as well as genes involved in cell expansion and endocycle were found to be associated with grain yield. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the capability of providing energy and substrates, as well as expanding the cell at the seedling stage, highly influences the grain yield of hybrids. Knowledge of these genes underlying grain yield in maize can contribute to the development of new high yielding varieties.

SUBMITTER: Fu J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2923537 | biostudies-literature | 2010

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Dissecting grain yield pathways and their interactions with grain dry matter content by a two-step correlation approach with maize seedling transcriptome.

Fu Junjie J Thiemann Alexander A Schrag Tobias A TA Melchinger Albrecht E AE Scholten Stefan S Frisch Matthias M

BMC plant biology 20100412

<h4>Background</h4>The importance of maize for human and animal nutrition, but also as a source for bio-energy is rapidly increasing. Maize yield is a quantitative trait controlled by many genes with small effects, spread throughout the genome. The precise location of the genes and the identity of the gene networks underlying maize grain yield is unknown. The objective of our study was to contribute to the knowledge of these genes and gene networks by transcription profiling with microarrays.<h4 ...[more]

PMID: 20385002

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Project description:Intercropping can obtain yield advantages, but the mechanism of yield advantages of maize-legume intercropping is still unclear. Then, we explored the effects of cropping systems and N input on yield advantages in a two-year experiment. Cropping systems included monoculture maize (Zea mays L.) (MM), monoculture soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) (MS), monoculture peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) (MP), maize-soybean substitutive relay intercropping (IMS), and maize-peanut substitutive strip intercropping (IMP). N input included without N (N0) and N addition (N1). Results showed that maize's leaf area index was 31.0% and 34.6% higher in IMS and IMP than in MM. The specific leaf weight and chlorophyll a (chl a) of maize were notably higher by 8.0% and 18.8% in IMS, 3.1%, and 18.6% in IMP compared with MM. Finally, N addition resulted in a higher thousand kernels weight of maize in IMS and IMP than that in MM. More dry matter accumulated and partitioned to the grain, maize's averaged partial land equivalent ratio and the net effect were 0.76 and 2.75 t ha-1 in IMS, 0.78 and 2.83 t ha-1 in IMP. The leaf area index and specific leaf weight of intercropped soybean were 16.8% and 26% higher than MS. Although soybean suffers from shade during coexistence, recovered growth strengthens leaf functional traits and increases dry matter accumulation. The averaged partial land equivalent ratio and the net effect of intercropped soybean were 0.76 and 0.47 t ha-1. The leaf area index and specific leaf weight of peanuts in IMP were 69.1% and 14.4% lower than in the MP. The chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b of peanut in MP were 17.0% and 24.4% higher than in IMP. A less dry matter was partitioned to the grain for intercropped peanut. The averaged pLER and NE of intercropped peanuts were 0.26 and -0.55 t ha-1. In conclusion, the strengthened leaf functional traits promote dry matter accumulation, maize-soybean relay intercropping obtained a win-win yield advantage, and maize-peanut strip intercropping achieved a trade-off yield advantage.

Project description:Background Soil degradation is one of the main problems in agricultural production and leads to decreases in soil quality and productivity. Improper farming practices speed this process and are therefore not conducive to food security. The North China Plain (NCP) is a key agricultural area that greatly influences food security in China. To explore the effects of different tillage measures on aggregate-associated organic carbon (AOC), the accumulation and transport of dry matter, and maize yield, and to identify the most suitable tillage method for use on the NCP, a field experiment was conducted at Shandong Agricultural University from 2016–2017 using plots that have been farmed using conservation tillage since 2002. Methods In this study, Zhengdan 958 summer maize was used as the test material and undisturbed soil and plant samples were obtained under four tillage methods—no-tillage (NT, tillage depth: 0 cm); rotary tillage (RT, tillage depth: 10 cm); conventional tillage (CT, tillage depth: 20 cm); subsoiling (SS, tillage depth: 40 cm)—which were used to determine the AOC and dry matter contents, as well as the yields of two summer maize growing seasons. Each sample was replicated three times and the AOC content was determined via potassium dichromate oxidation colorimetry. Potassium dichromate oxidized organic carbon in organic matter was employed to reduce hexadecent chromium into green trivalent chromium. Colorimetry was then used to determine the amount of reduced trivalent chromium and calculate the organic matter content. Results The resulting data were statistically analyzed and the results showed that, compared with CT, the AOC contents with NT and SS increased by 5.65% and 9.73%, respectively, while that with RT decreased by 0.12%. Conventional tillage resulted in the highest mean dry matter weight when the maize reached maturity, which was 19.19%, 9.83%, and 3.38% higher than those achieved using NT, RT, and SS, respectively. No significant difference was found between CT and SS treatments, both of which tended to increase the accumulation of dry matter as well as its contribution of assimilates to grain yield post-anthesis. Compared with CT, the mean yield increased at a rate of 0.18% with SS, while yields declined at rates of 17.17% and 11.15 with NT and RT, respectively. The yield with NT was the lowest, though the harvest indices with NT and SS were higher than those with RT and CT. Overall, SS increased the accumulation of dry matter and its contribution of assimilates to grain yields post-anthesis, as well as the AOC content and yields, making it the ideal tillage method for the NCP.

Project description:Trichoderma afroharzianum, a ubiquitous soil-borne fungus found on plant roots and decaying residues, displays competitive traits and mycoparasitic behavior against diverse microorganisms. Selected strains of this fungus are known in agriculture for their beneficial effects on plant growth and as bio-fungicides. However, recent findings have pinpointed Trichoderma afroharzianum as the causal agent behind maize ear rot disease in Europe since 2018, notably impacting maize cobs in Germany, France, and Italy. This study aims to evaluate the severity of Trichoderma ear rot disease on maize fresh matter content and specific quality parameters under semi-field conditions. Two distinct maize varieties were artificially inoculated with a pathogenic Trichoderma isolate at the flowering stage using needle pin or silk channel methods. Disease severity was assessed visually at the time of harvest based on the percentage of infected kernels according to EPPO Guidelines (PP 1/285). Fresh matter content and quality parameters such as alpha-amylase activity, C/N ratio, water, and sugar content were analyzed. Results showed that needle pin inoculation led to higher disease severity (60%) compared to silk channel inoculation (39%). Cob weight decreased significantly at the highest disease severity level by up to 50% compared to control plants. In both varieties, alpha-amylase activity increased significantly with higher Trichoderma disease severity, resulting in starch degradation and increased glucose release. The germination rate was severely affected by the infection, with only 22% of grains germinating, and the seedlings showed shortened and deformed growth. This is the first report on Trichoderma ear rot infection and its effect on fresh matter content and quality parameters in maize after artificial inoculation under field conditions. The results address an important knowledge gap and provide valuable insights into the infection pathway and impact on maize quality.

Project description:BackgroundThe middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River plain produce the second highest amount of wheat in China; however, waterlogging is an important environmental factor that substantially affects the yield production of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in this region.MethodsIn this study, seven treatments were implemented, including no waterlogging and exogenous 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA) as a control (CK); waterlogging at booting (BW), anthesis (AW) and 15 days after anthesis (DAA, FW); and spraying 6-BA before waterlogging at booting (BW-6BA), anthesis (AW-6BA) and 15 DAA (FW-6BA), to determine the ability of 6-BA to alleviate the harmful impact of waterlogging on aboveground biomass production and grain yield. The widely cultivated wheat cultivar "Zhengmai 9023" was used.ResultsThe results showed that more than 190.0 mm of rainfall, which accounted for approximately 45.0% of the precipitation over the whole wheat growing season, was distributed after the booting stage (April and May). In all waterlogged treatments, the photosynthetic rate, aboveground biomass and grain yield decreased, but the differences between the CK and the FW treatment were not significant. The grain yield decreased by 18.38%, 41.79% and 5.67% in the BW, AW and FW treatments, respectively. Spraying 6-BA before waterlogging enhanced the root activities after anthesis and then decreased the malondialdehyde concentrations of the flag leaves and the third leaf, increased the photosynthetic rate of the flag leaves and enhanced aboveground biomass and grain yield. Among the increments between the treatments, the increments between the BW and BW-6BA treatments were the largest, but between the FW and FW-6BA were smallest. In comparison to the other waterlogging treatments, the grain yields from the FW and FW-6BA treatments were significantly higher because of the higher kernel numbers per spike. The results indicated that waterlogging after the booting stage restrained the dry matter production of winter wheat, but spraying 6-BA before waterlogging slowed the plant senescence rate and reduced grain yield loss.

Dataset Information

Dissecting grain yield pathways and their interactions with grain dry matter content by a two-step correlation approach with maize seedling transcriptome.

Publications

Dissecting grain yield pathways and their interactions with grain dry matter content by a two-step correlation approach with maize seedling transcriptome.

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