Genetic variation in ZmWAX2 confers maize resistance to Fusarium verticillioides

Abstract

SummaryFusarium verticillioides (F. verticillioides) is a widely distributed phytopathogen that incites multiple destructive diseases in maize, posing a grave threat to corn yields and quality worldwide. However, there are few reports of resistance genes to F. verticillioides. Here, we reveal that a combination of two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) corresponding to ZmWAX2 gene associates with quantitative resistance variations to F. verticillioides in maize through a genome‐wide association study. A lack of ZmWAX2 compromises maize resistance to F. verticillioides‐caused seed rot, seedling blight and stalk rot by reducing cuticular wax deposition, while the transgenic plants overexpressing ZmWAX2 show significantly increased immunity to F. verticillioides. A natural occurrence of two 7‐bp deletions within the promoter increases ZmWAX2 transcription, thus enhancing maize resistance to F. verticillioides. Upon Fusarium stalk rot, ZmWAX2 greatly promotes the yield and grain quality of maize. Our studies demonstrate that ZmWAX2 confers multiple disease resistances caused by F. verticillioides and can serve as an important gene target for the development of F. verticillioides‐resistant maize varieties.

Discovery and Development of Luvangetin from Zanthoxylum avicennae as a New Fungicide Candidate for Fusarium verticillioides

“…Direct infection or fumonisins secretion by F. verticillioides is a global challenge for food systems and public health . Fumonisins contaminate foods, livestock feed, and industrial raw materials primarily from corn once infected by F.…”

“…32 Direct infection or fumonisins secretion by F. verticillioides is a global challenge for food systems and public health. 30 Fumonisins contaminate foods, livestock feed, and industrial raw materials primarily from corn once infected by F. verticillioides on the field, 29 causing leukoencephalomalacia in horses, pulmonary edema in swine, neural tube defects, and cancer in rodents, 45,46 particularly esophageal cancer and neural tube defects in human beings. 47,48 Hence, the F. verticillioides was selected as the target pathogen because of its agricultural and medical significance, and its effects of growth and pathogenicity were evaluated.…”

Comparative transcriptome provides insights into gene regulation network associated with the resistance to Fusarium wilt in grafted wax gourd Benincasa hispida

“…In rice, wax synthesis regulator genes are significantly upregulated in blight-resistant lines ( Xiao et al., 2022 ). Latest research showed that genetic variation in ZmWAX2 confers resistance to Fusarium verticillioides in maize ( Ma et al., 2023 ).…”