Crop Science (2010) 50, 815-825

Silverio García-Lara, Andrew J. Burt, John T. Arnason and David J. Bergvinson (2010)
QTL mapping of tropical maize grain components associated with maize weevil resistance
Crop Science 50 (3), 815-825
Abstract: The maize weevil (MW), Sitophilus zeamais (Motsch.), is a globally distributed pest that causes severe losses in stored maize (Zea mays L.) worldwide. A previous study identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) contributing to reduced grain damage and losses by MW in the maize mapping population CML290 x Muneng-8128C0HC1-18-2-1-1. This study was conducted to identify QTL associated with the identified biochemical bases of resistance in the maize grain. Eleven traits were analyzed on grain samples from F₂ lines across two environments: p-coumaric acid (p-CA), cis- and trans-ferulic acid (FA), four isomers of diferulic acids (DiFA), phenolic acid amides (p-coumaroyl-feruloyl putrescine [CFP] and diferuloyl putrescine [DFP]), total DiFA and total phenols acids (PhA). Significant variations were observed for most of the traits, while heritabilities ranged from 0.09 to 0.79. Ten QTL were identified for trans- and cis-FA, 8,5'-DiFA, 8-O-4'-DiFA, 8,5'-diferulic acid benzofuran form, DFP, and CFP while seven QTL were identified for p-CA, 5,5'-DiFA, FA, total DiFAs, and total PhA. These QTL were dispersed across the maize genome and explain between 25 and 47% of the phenotypic variance (sigma²_p) and 50 to 98% of the genotypic variance (sigma²_g). Nine regions were common between QTL associated with MW susceptibility and cell wall bound compounds, suggesting a strong genetic association with MW resistance in tropical maize.
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Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
resistance/tolerance/defence of host

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Sitophilus zeamais	Stored grain