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Title: CHEMICAL AND GENETIC ATTRIBUTES OF A MAIZE-SILK OLFACTORY TRAIT

Author
item Widstrom, Neil
item Flath, Robert
item LOESCH, P. - DECEASED

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/2/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: A corn line originating from an Iowa synthetic produced silks with an odor differing from its sister lines. The line was similar to its sister lines in other respects. The identification of the volatile responsible for the odor and study of its inheritance were initiated to determine if the odorous trait and resistance to insects were related. Subsequent tests showed no relationship between odor and resistance to ear feeding insects. The odorous characteristic of silks is inherited as a recessive trait, but it could not be traced to a single gene. The odorous characteristic may be caused by more than one gene, although errors in classifying individual silks may have occurred because of other interfering compounds. Volatiles in silks from odorous and non-odorous line were identified by gas chromatography. Among several volatiles emanating from the odorous line, but not present in non-odorous lines, the compound responsible for the odor of silks from the inbred in question was determined to be indole by a five-member panel of people who were familiar with the lines's distinct silk odor. The compounds may prove to be biologically significant for non-insect related traits.

Technical Abstract: A maize inbred extracted from an Iowa synthetic ('BSBB') produces silks with an odor that is easily detectable by most humans. The inbred did not demonstrate greater field resistance to ear-feeding by insects than sister lines from the same synthetic. The odorous trait was determined to be inherited as a recessive trait but could not be positively associated with a single gene when the odorous line was crossed with unrelated normal lines. Failure to produce a single-gene Mendelian ratio for F2 and backcross generations was attributed to errors in classification for a subjectively evaluated trait and the seeming incomplete penetrance of the trait, possibly due to the presence of modifying genes. Eleven compounds which differed from those obtained from nonodorous sister lines were separated and identified by headspace trapping and analysis by gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques. A five-member panel clearly identified the odorous compound as indole.