Yang Jin, Liu Zhou, Liu Yanbo, Fan Xiujun, Gao Lei, Li Yangping, Hu Yufeng, Hu Kun, Huang Yubi
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resource Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.
Sinograin Chengdu Storage Research Institute Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610091, China.
Plants (Basel). 2024 Jun 1;13(11):1533. doi: 10.3390/plants13111533.
Deep sowing is an efficient strategy for maize to ensure the seedling emergence rate under adverse conditions such as drought or low temperatures. However, the genetic basis of deep-sowing tolerance-related traits in maize remains largely unknown. In this study, we performed a genome-wide association study on traits related to deep-sowing tolerance, including mesocotyl length (ML), coleoptile length (CL), plumule length (PL), shoot length (SL), and primary root length (PRL), using 255 maize inbred lines grown in three different environments. We identified 23, 6, 4, and 4 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with ML, CL, PL, and SL, respectively. By analyzing candidate genes within these QTLs, we found a γ-tubulin-containing complex protein, , which was significantly associated with ML, PL, and SL. Loss of function of resulted in decreased PL, possibly by affecting the cell elongation, thus affecting SL. Additionally, we identified superior haplotypes and allelic variations of with a longer PL and SL, which may be useful for breeding varieties with deep-sowing tolerance to improve maize cultivation.
深播是玉米在干旱或低温等不利条件下确保出苗率的有效策略。然而，玉米深播耐受性相关性状的遗传基础仍 largely 未知。在本研究中，我们使用在三种不同环境中种植的 255 个玉米自交系，对与深播耐受性相关的性状进行了全基因组关联研究，这些性状包括中胚轴长度（ML）、胚芽鞘长度（CL）、胚芽长度（PL）、苗长（SL）和初生根长度（PRL）。我们分别鉴定出与 ML、CL、PL 和 SL 相关的 23、6、4 和 4 个数量性状位点（QTL）。通过分析这些 QTL 内的候选基因，我们发现了一种含γ-微管蛋白的复合蛋白，其与 ML、PL 和 SL 显著相关。该蛋白功能丧失导致 PL 降低，可能是通过影响细胞伸长，从而影响 SL。此外，我们鉴定出具有较长 PL 和 SL 的该蛋白的优良单倍型和等位变异，这可能有助于培育具有深播耐受性的品种以改善玉米种植。
