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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Plant Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #72670
Title: QTL ANALYSIS AS A TOOL FOR INVESTIGATING THE FLAVONOID PATHWAY OF MAIZE

Author
item Byrne, Patrick
item McMullen, Michael
item Snook, Maurice
item Widstrom, Neil
item Wiseman, Billy
item MUSKET, THERESA - UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
item THEURI, JAMES - UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
item Coe Jr, Edward

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/3/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The flavonoid metabolic pathway of maize, Zea mays L., is well characterized genetically and biochemically, yet there is little information on the quantitative effects of the genes involved. We used quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis to identify and estimate the quantitative contribution of genetic factors controlling the concentration of maysin in silks of two maize populations. Maysin is an end-product of the p1-controlled portion of the pathway and an inhibitor of corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), growth. Our results indicated the importance of regulatory loci (especially p1), the effects of genes from intersecting pathways, and the apparent involvement of genomic regions not previously known to influence flavonoid accumulation. Applying QTL techniques to this system has provided additional information on the functioning of the flavonoid pathway and offered insights that may be useful in understanding the expression of other traits.