Song Yongfeng, Wang Jiahao, Ma Yingwen, Wang Jiaxin, Bao Liangliang, Sun Dequan, Lin Hong, Fan Jinsheng, Zhou Yu, Zeng Xing, Wang Zhenhua, Zhang Lin, Li Chunxiang, Di Hong
Key Laboratory of Germplasm Enhancement, Physiology and Ecology of Food Crops in Cold Region, Engineering Technology Research Center of Maize Germplasm Resources Innovation on Cold Land of Heilongjiang Province, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
Institute of Forage and Grassland Sciences Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Science, Harbin 150086, China.
Plants (Basel). 2025 Jul 14;14(14):2182. doi: 10.3390/plants14142182.
Maize is an essential staple food, and its genetic diversity plays a central role in breeding programs aimed at developing climate-adapted cultivars. Constructing a representative core germplasm set is necessary for the efficient conservation and utilization of maize genetic resources. In this study, we analyzed 588 cultivated maize accessions using agronomic traits such as plant morphology and yield traits such as ear characteristics and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to assess molecular diversity and population structure and to construct a core collection. Nineteen phenotypic traits were evaluated, revealing high genetic diversity and significant correlations among most quantitative traits. The optimal sampling strategy was identified as "Mahalanobis distance + 20% + deviation sampling + flexible method." Whole-genome genotyping was conducted using the Maize6H-60K liquid phase chip. Population structure analysis, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis divided the 588 accessions into six subgroups. A core collection of 172 accessions was selected based on both phenotypic and genotypic data. These were further evaluated for salt-alkali tolerance during germination, and cluster analysis classified them into five groups. Sixty-five accessions demonstrated salt-alkali tolerance, including 18 with high resistance. This core collection serves as a valuable foundation for germplasm conservation and utilization strategies.
玉米是一种重要的主食作物，其遗传多样性在旨在培育适应气候变化品种的育种计划中起着核心作用。构建具有代表性的核心种质库对于高效保护和利用玉米遗传资源至关重要。在本研究中，我们利用植株形态等农艺性状以及穗部特征等产量性状和单核苷酸多态性（SNP）对588份栽培玉米种质进行了分析，以评估分子多样性和群体结构，并构建核心种质库。对19个表型性状进行了评估，结果显示出高遗传多样性，且大多数数量性状之间存在显著相关性。确定最佳抽样策略为“马氏距离 + 20% + 偏差抽样 + 灵活方法”。使用Maize6H - 60K液相芯片进行全基因组基因分型。群体结构分析、主成分分析和聚类分析将588份种质分为6个亚组。基于表型和基因型数据选择了172份种质的核心种质库。对这些种质在萌发期的耐盐碱能力进行了进一步评估，聚类分析将它们分为5组。65份种质表现出耐盐碱能力，其中18份具有高抗性。这个核心种质库为种质保护和利用策略提供了宝贵的基础。
