Project Number: 3622-21000-034-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Oct 01, 2010
End Date: Mar 25, 2013

Objective:
Objective 1: Determine if altering expression of genes that exhibit evidence of past selection during maize domestication and improvement, modifies the expression of currently relevant agronomic traits. Objective 2: Develop strategies and mechanisms for improving drought-stress tolerance of maize. Objective 3: Conduct an analysis of the role of transcription factors in controlling agronomic traits in maize. Objective 4: Integrate new maize genetic and genomic data into the database (MaizeGDB).

Approach:
Identify and verify selected genes. Make teosinte NIL and use to characterize phenotypic effect of teosinte alleles of selected genes. Identify genes central to drought-tolerance in plants for maize improvement. Use transgenic maize line to test candidate genes for drought tolerance. Identify transcription factors exhibiting specific transcription responses to drought treatments. Analysis the role of MYB transcription factors in controlling agronomic trait expression.