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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Plant Stress and Germplasm Development Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #291294
Title: Gentic variation for high temperature tolerance in maize

Author
item Chen, Junping
item Burke, John
item XU, WENWEI - Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
item Yeater, Kathleen

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/14/2013
Publication Date: 3/14/2013
Citation: Chen, J., Burke, J.J., Xu, W., Yeater, K.M. 2013. Gentic variation for high temperature tolerance in maize [abstract]. 55th Maize Genetic Conference, March 14-17, 2013, St. Charles, Illinois. P271:191.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: As global warming becomes inevitable, the sustainability of agricultural production in US and worldwide faces serious threat from extreme weather conditions, such as drought and high temperature (heat) stresses. While drought stress can be alleviated through irrigation, little can be done with high temperature stress through crop management. More importantly, high temperature induced tissue injuries in maize are mostly irreversible; and a few days of temperature above optimum at pollination can result in significant yield loss. Therefore, the only feasible way to cope with temperature extremes in maize production is through genetic improvement of high temperature tolerance in maize breeding lines. We have taken a genetic approach to study of genetic mechanisms of high temperature tolerance in maize. Maize inbred lines with contrasting phenotypes for high temperature tolerance were used to generate mapping populations. Preliminary genetic analysis revealed several independent traits that contribute to the variation for high temperature tolerance in field-grown maize. Several major QTLs associated with high temperature tolerance were identified in 2 of the NAMs RIL populations. In addition, genetic variation among 537 inbred was evaluated for vegetative and reproductive tissue high temperature tolerance traits in field condition. Genome-wide association analysis will be performed to identify chromosome regions and/or genetic loci contributing to high temperature tolerance in maize.