Genotypic Variation for Glycinebetaine among Public Inbreds of Maize

Abstract

Screening of a range of public maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines for glycinebetaine (betaine) content over two growing seasons (1987 and 1988), using fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry, has identified 19 public inbred lines which all exhibit low betaine levels (<100 nanomoles per gram fresh weight). These include common inbreds such as A188, A619, B37, H95, N6, and Oh43. Several inbreds exhibit high betaine levels (3000 to 10000 nanomoles per gram fresh weight); in these strongly betainepositive inbreds, betaine levels tended to be, on average, 1.38-fold greater in the 1988 growing season presumably in part due to field water deficits experienced during the drought of 1988. Where several different sources of the same inbred line were available (including cytoplasmic male sterile and restored lines of A632, B37, B73, Oh43, and WF9), betaine levels were found to be similar when the inbreds were tested in the same environment. Because W22-R/r-X1 was found to be strongly betaine-positive, it should be possible to map the putative recessive gene(s) determining betaine deficiency to specific chromosome(s) from monosomics resulting from crosses between W22-R/r-X1 and betaine-deficient lines.

Growth of the Maize Primary Root at Low Water Potentials

“…The tendency to accumulate glycinebetaine at low Ow varies widely among species (27) and also among maize inbred lines (4). The cultivar we used was a cross between two of the higher glycinebetaine-accumulating lines, WF9 and Mo 17.…”

“…Clearly, an increase in osmoticum deposition could contribute to growth maintenance at low . In the first paper in this series (19), longitudinal expansion of maize primary roots at low 4 containing vermiculite of different il6, and grown in the dark at 29°C and near-saturation humidity, as previously described (19). The four treatments used were the same as for the measurement of expansive growth distribution and osmotic adjustment described in the preceding papers in this series (18,19); vermiculite i/', were approximately -0.03, -0.2, -0.8, and -1.6 MPa.…”

Metabolite profiles of maize leaves in drought, heat and combined stress field trials reveal the relationship between metabolism and grain yield

“…It should also be noted that Gly and Ser are principal sources of one carbon unit largely consumed to synthesize an osmoprotectant, Gly betaine, in some plant tissues (Hanson and Roje, 2001). The levels of this osmolyte differ among maize varieties (Brunk et al, 1989) and positively correlate to the degree of salt tolerance (Saneoka et al, 1995). Negative correlations between grain yield in DS and levels of Gly and Ser are possibly related to the levels of consumption of these metabolites to synthesize Gly betaine, leading to the variation of yield performance under drought in maize genotypes.…”

“…It is becoming clear that plant species have specific preferences in the selection of compatible solutes to accumulate under stress conditions (Gong et al, 2005;Benina et al, 2013). While Pro is one of the well-known compatible solutes in Arabidopsis (Hare and Cress, 1997), this species accumulates only small amounts of Gly betaine (Missihoun et al, 2011), which has been proven to be involved in stress tolerance in maize (Brunk et al, 1989). Therefore, it is conceivable that the degree of dependence on Pro for DS tolerance and/or cellular Pro concentration is different between Arabidopsis and maize (Spoljarevi c et al, 2011;Sperdouli and Moustakas, 2012), resulting in the different regulation of Pro level under the DS+HS condition.…”

Plant ALDH10 Family

“…Enzymes accepting BAL as an efficient substrate are labeled with a cross. vars synthesize considerably lower levels of GB, and naturally occurring GB-deficient inbred lines have also been identified (44). Moreover, certain maize varieties with tomato and pea do not accumulate GB due to the loss of a functional CMO (choline monooxygenase) gene (45)(46)(47), correlated with the very low activity of ZmAMADH1b, ZmAMADH2, SlAMADH2, and PsAMADHs with BAL (below 1.5% compared with that with APAL; Fig.…”