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Phenotypic characterization and validation of provitamin A functional genes in early maturing provitamin A‐quality protein maize ( Zea mays ) inbred lines
Author(s) -
ObengBio Ebenezer,
BaduApraku Baffour,
Elorhor Ifie Beatrice,
Danquah Agyemang,
Blay Essie T.,
Dadzie Mustapha Abu
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
plant breeding
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.583
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1439-0523
pISSN - 0179-9541
DOI - 10.1111/pbr.12798
Subject(s) - biology , inbred strain , allele , drought tolerance , gene , hybrid , gossypium , marker assisted selection , genetics , genotype , agronomy
The number of drought and low‐N tolerant hybrids with elevated levels of provitamin A (PVA) in sub‐Saharan Africa could increase when PVA genes are optimized and validated for developed drought and low‐N tolerant inbred lines. This study aimed to (a) determine the levels of drought and low‐N tolerance, and PVA concentrations in early maturing PVA‐quality protein maize (QPM) inbred lines, and (b) identify lines harbouring the crtRB1 and LcyE genes as sources of favourable alleles of PVA. Seventy early maturing PVA‐QPM inbreds were evaluated under drought, low‐N and optimal environments in Nigeria for two years. The inbreds were assayed for PVA levels and the presence of PVA genes using allele‐specific PCR markers. Moderate range of PVA contents was observed for the inbreds. Nonetheless, TZEIORQ 55 combined high PVA concentration with drought and low‐N tolerance. The crtRB1‐3′TE primer and the KASP SNP (snpZM0015) consistently identified nine inbreds including TZEIORQ 55 harbouring the favourable alleles of the crtRB1 gene. These inbreds could serve as donor parents of the favourable crtRB1‐3′TE allele for PVA breeding in maize.