An ethylene biosynthesis enzyme controls quantitative variation in maize ear length and kernel yield

Ning, Qiang; Jian, Yinan; Du, Yanfang; Li, Yunfu; Shen, Xiaomeng; Jia, Haitao; Zhao, Rongjun; Zhan, Jimin; Yang, Fang; Jackson, David; Liu, Lei; Zhang, Zuxin

doi:10.1038/s41467-021-26123-z

Cited by 61 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 65 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Ear traits, kernel number per row (KNPR) and kernel row number (KRN), of maize have been concerned by researchers (Matsuoka et al, 2002 ; Chen et al, 2021 , 2022 ; Ning et al, 2021 ), however, the influence of ear architecture on drought resistance is not well understood. In this study, we obtained 27 hybrids with the stubby or slender ears and applied manual pollination, including continuous and synchronous pollination, to observe the silking dynamics and evaluate drought resistance in two ear types.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Noteworthy, the interest of traits for breeding would therefore depend on the correlation with yield (Araus and Cairns, 2014 ). Although most of the breeder is less aware of the relationships between ear architecture and drought resistance, they pay close attention looking at genes that control ear length and kernel row number, potentially valuble to improve ear architecture (Bommert et al, 2013 ; An et al, 2019 ; Du et al, 2021 ; Ning et al, 2021 ). Especially in recent years, great progress has been made in the study of controlling genes for ear traits (Du et al, 2021 ; Ning et al, 2021 ; Chen et al, 2022 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although most of the breeder is less aware of the relationships between ear architecture and drought resistance, they pay close attention looking at genes that control ear length and kernel row number, potentially valuble to improve ear architecture (Bommert et al, 2013 ; An et al, 2019 ; Du et al, 2021 ; Ning et al, 2021 ). Especially in recent years, great progress has been made in the study of controlling genes for ear traits (Du et al, 2021 ; Ning et al, 2021 ; Chen et al, 2022 ). In their studies, increases in ear length or kernel row number significantly promoted the yield per ear, but maize plants have limited photosynthetic capacity, especially under stress, which means that the kernel number cannot increase indefinitely.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In domestication, increasing kernel row number (KRN) and kernel number per row (KNPR) promote the kernel number per ear and greatly improve the yield of the modern maize (Doebley, 2004 ; Peng et al, 2011 ; Wang et al, 2011 ). As the two traits have higher heritability and better stability, they became the primary breeding traits for yield improvement to feed the growing population (Messmer et al, 2009 ; Li et al, 2013 ; Du et al, 2021 ; Ning et al, 2021 ). Since the 1960s, ear rows of single-cross varieties have increased and stabilized around 16 rows in China (Duvick et al, 2004 ; Qin et al, 2016 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Stubby or Slender? Ear Architecture Is Related to Drought Resistance in Maize

Chen

Dong

et al. 2022

Front. Plant Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Ear architecture is determined by two stable heritable traits, kernel row number (KRN) and kernel number per row (KNPR), but its relationship with drought resistance is still vague. To this end, we obtained 16 and 11 hybrids with slender (less KRN but more KNPR) and stubby (more KRN but less KNPR) ears by intentionally crossbreeding, respectively. These hybrids were exposed to a seven-day water deficit (WD) since silk emergence coupled with synchronous (SP) and continuous pollination (CP) to alter the pollination time gaps on ears. The results showed that the emerged silks in CP were 9.1 and 9.0% less than in the SP treatment in the stubby and slender ears, respectively, suggesting the suppression of asynchronous pollination on silk emergence. The stubby ears performed higher silking rate and yield compared with the slender ears with or without drought stress. To eliminate the inherent difference in sink capacities, we selected four hybrids for each ear type with similar silk and kernel numbers for further analyses. Interestingly, the stubby ears were less affected in silking rate and thus performed higher yield under drought compared with the slender ears. The finding suggests that ear architecture matters in the determination of drought resistance that deserves more attention in breeding.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Stubby or Slender? Ear Architecture Is Related to Drought Resistance in Maize

Chen

Dong

et al. 2022

Front. Plant Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Arabidopsis thaliana mutants in ethylene signaling pathway presents notable alterations in seed shape (Robert et al 2008). It has recently been proved that ethylene biosynthesis also plays a key role in maize ear elongation and kernel yield recently (Ning et al 2021). Rice U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase gene positively regulates seed cell division and elongation through multiple hormone pathways, including ethylene (Wang et al 2017).…”

Section: Hvtub8 Participates In Barley Development Via Ethylene and C...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) β-Tubulin gene HvTUBULIN8 has pleiotropic effects on spike and leaf development

Qin

Liu

et al. 2022

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Barley lateral spikelet morphology and grain shape play a key role in grain physical quality and yield. Several genes and QTLs for these traits have been cloned or fine mapped previously. Here, we report the phenotypic and genotypic analysis of a barley mutant with Round Lateral Spikelet (rls) from c.v. Edamai 934. The mutant had round lateral spikelet, short but round grain, shortened awn, thick glume and dark green leaves. Histocytologic and ultrastructural analysis revealed that the difference of grain shape of rls was caused by change of cell arrangement in glume, and the dark leaf color resulted from enlarged chloroplast. HvTUBULIN8 (HvTUB8) was identified as the functional gene for rls by combination of RNA-seq, map-based cloning, virus-induced-gene-silencing (VIGS) and protein subcellular location. A single G-A substitution in exon of HvTUB8 resulted in change of Cysteine to Tyrosine. Furthermore, the mutant isoform of HvTUB8 could be detected in both nucleus and cytoplasm, whereas the wild was only in cytoplasm of wheat protoplasts. Being consistent with the rare phenotype, the “A” allele of HvTUB8 was only detected in rls, but not in a worldwide barley germplasm panel consisting about 400 accessions. VIGS confirmed that HvTUB8 was essential to maintain spike integrity. RNA-sequencing results suggest that HvTUB8 control spike morphogenesis via ethylene homeostasis and signaling, and control leaf color through chlorophyll metabolism. Collectively, our results demonstrated that HvTUB8 has pleiotropic effects on barley spike and leaf morphology and provided insight of a novel mechanism of HvTUB8 in spike and leaf development.

show abstract

Conditions potentially affecting corn ear formation, yield, and abnormal ears: A review

Ortez

McMechan

Hoegemeyer

et al. 2022

Crop Forage & Turfgrass Mgmt

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abnormal ear development in corn (Zea mays L.) has been reported for more than 100 years. More recently, in 2016, widespread abnormal multiple ears per stalk node (herein termed as multi-ears), barbell ears, and short husks were reported in cornfields located in the western and central Corn Belt (Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas), Eastern Colorado, and the Texas Panhandle region in the United States. Little was known about the underlying causes of these abnormalities. A literature review examining conditions potentially affecting corn ear formation, yield, and abnormal ears was conducted. Several abnormal ear symptoms appear to be formed by stress conditions such as extreme weather, limited solar radiation, and responses to plant growth regulators. The accumulation of these effects can result in the abortion of primary ears and the development of secondary abnormal ears, which has been a hypothesis for the last 15 years. Whether or not primary ear abortion is one of the factors for abnormal ears remains a valid question. Abnormal ears can be understood as the result of an "expression triangle": susceptible genetics, conducive environmental conditions, and unfavorable management practices. Together, these factors can interact and cause abnormal ears and lower yields. Active knowledge gaps include the environmental and physiological pathways to abnormal ears, their impact on grain quality and yield, their effect on other processes such as dry-down and harvest ease, and an in-depth understanding of differing genetics, environment, and management.

show abstract

An ethylene biosynthesis enzyme controls quantitative variation in maize ear length and kernel yield

Cited by 61 publications

References 65 publications

Stubby or Slender? Ear Architecture Is Related to Drought Resistance in Maize

Stubby or Slender? Ear Architecture Is Related to Drought Resistance in Maize

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) β-Tubulin gene HvTUBULIN8 has pleiotropic effects on spike and leaf development

Conditions potentially affecting corn ear formation, yield, and abnormal ears: A review

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About