Formation of Heterotic Groups and Understanding Genetic Effects in a Provitamin A Biofortified Maize Breeding Program

2013/12/13 by Willy Bayuardi Suwarno, Willy B. Suwarno, Kevin V. Pixley +4 · 25 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Agronomy #Biofortification #Biology #Biotechnology #Botany #Breeding program #Carotenoid #Cultivar #Diallel cross #Gene #Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock #Genetically Modified Organisms Research #Genetics #Genetics and Plant Breeding #Heterosis #Hybrid #Inbred strain #Micronutrient #Plant breeding

paper · doi:10.2135/cropsci2013.02.0096

openalex publication_date 2013/12/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25

Abstract

ABSTRACT Developing biofortified maize ( Zea mays L.) cultivars is a viable approach to combating the widespread problem of vitamin A deficiency among people for whom maize is a staple food. To enhance CIMMYT's provitamin A maize breeding efforts, this study: (i) evaluated whether separation of experimental maize lines into groups based on maximizing their molecular‐marker‐based genetic distances (GD) resulted in heterosis for among‐group crosses, (ii) assessed genetic effects (general and specific combining ability, GCA and SCA) for grain yield and provitamin A concentrations in hybrids among 21 inbred lines representing the three proposed groups, and (iii) assessed the association between grain yield and provitamin A concentrations. The lines were crossed following a partial diallel design resulting in 156 hybrids that were evaluated at four environments with two replications of one‐row plots. The first plant in each plot was self‐pollinated to produce grain for provitamin A analysis. Significant but small yield advantage of among‐ versus within‐group crosses (0.47 Mg ha −1 , P < 0.05) suggested that the groups identified by maximizing GD could be a practical starting point for further breeding work to develop useful heterotic groups. Furthermore, the GD‐proposed heterotic groups were improved by later revising some line assignments to groups using estimates of SCA effects. General combining ability effects were significant ( P < 0.01) for all traits, whereas SCA effects were weak ( P < 0.05) or not significant for provitamin A carotenoid concentrations, indicating that these were controlled primarily by additive gene action. Grain yield was not significantly correlated with provitamin A concentration, indicating that both traits could be improved simultaneously.

Cited by

• Genome-wide association analysis reveals new targets for carotenoid biofortification in maize. [europepmc]
• Genomic Regions Associated with Root Traits under Drought Stress in Tropical Maize (Zea mays L.). [europepmc]
• Identification and validation of genomic regions influencing kernel zinc and iron in maize. [europepmc]
• Identification of Nutritional Components in Black Sesame Determined by Widely Targeted Metabolomics and Traditional Chinese Medicines. [europepmc]
• Molecular Breeding for Nutritionally Enriched Maize: Status and Prospects. [europepmc]
• Genomics-Integrated Breeding for Carotenoids and Folates in Staple Cereal Grains to Reduce Malnutrition. [europepmc]
• Genetic studies of extra-early provitamin-A maize inbred lines and their hybrids in multiple environments. [europepmc]
• Phenotypic characterization and validation of provitamin A functional genes in early maturing provitamin A-quality protein maize ( Zea mays ) inbred lines. [europepmc]
• Combining ability of extra-early biofortified maize inbreds under Striga infestation and low soil nitrogen. [europepmc]
• Assessing inbred-hybrid relationships for developing drought-tolerant provitamin A-quality protein maize hybrids. [europepmc]
• Genome wide association study and genomic prediction for stover quality traits in tropical maize (Zea mays L.). [europepmc]
• Global transcriptional profiling between inbred parents and hybrids provides comprehensive insights into ear-length heterosis of maize (Zea mays). [europepmc]
• Bioactive Composition and Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Fresh Orange Maize Hybrids: Impacts of Genotype, Maturity Stages, and Processing Methods. [europepmc]
• Multinutrient Biofortification of Maize ( Zea mays L.) in Africa: Current Status, Opportunities and Limitations. [europepmc]
• Genomic regions associated with heat stress tolerance in tropical maize (Zea mays L.). [europepmc]
• Unravelling the Effect of Provitamin A Enrichment on Agronomic Performance of Tropical Maize Hybrids. [europepmc]
• Identification of Heterotic Groups and Patterns Based on Genotypic and Phenotypic Characteristics Among Rice Accessions of Diverse Origins. [europepmc]
• Combining Ability and Performance of Extra-Early Maturing Provitamin A Maize Inbreds and Derived Hybrids in Multiple Environments. [europepmc]
• Genomic Regions Associated With Salinity Stress Tolerance in Tropical Maize ( Zea Mays L. ). [europepmc]
• Improving the Carotenoid Content in Maize by Using Isonuclear Lines. [europepmc]
• Suitability of testers to characterize provitamin a content and agronomic performance of tropical maize inbred lines. [europepmc]
• Genomic-regions associated with cold stress tolerance in Asia-adapted tropical maize germplasm. [europepmc]
• Heterotic grouping of provitamin A-enriched maize inbred lines for increased provitamin A content in hybrids. [europepmc]
• Simulation-based establishment of base pools for a hybrid breeding program in winter rapeseed. [europepmc]
• Evaluating Maize Hybrids for Yield, Stress Tolerance, and Carotenoid Content: Insights into Breeding for Climate Resilience. [europepmc]

Related

• Registering a New Provitamin A-rich Maize Variety Named ‘BHA5211’ for Cultivation in Ethiopia
• Location and Variety but Not Phosphate Starter Fertilization Influence the Profiles of Fatty Acids, Carotenoids, and Tocochromanols in Kernels of Modern Corn (Zea mays L.) Hybrids Cultivated in Germany
• Gains in Maize Genetic Improvement in Eastern and Southern Africa: I. CIMMYT Hybrid Breeding Pipeline
• General Combining Ability and Genetic Parameters for Grain Yield and Yield Components in Promising Lines of Maize
• Biofortification—A Sustainable Agricultural Strategy for Reducing Micronutrient Malnutrition in the Global South