ARS | Publication request: Evaluation of the expression genes associated with resistance to Aspergillus flavus colonization and aflatoxin production in different maize lines.

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: August 4, 2010
Publication Date: August 4, 2010
Citation: Fountain, J.C., Chen, Z., Scully, B.T., Kemerait, R.C., Lee, R., Guo, B. 2010. Evaluation of the expression genes associated with resistance to Aspergillus flavus colonization and aflatoxin production in different maize lines [abstract]. Presented at the American Phytopathological Society annual meeting in Charlotte, N.C on August 7-11, 2010.

Technical Abstract: Aflatoxins are carcinogenic toxic compounds produced by Aspergillus flavus during infection of crops including maize (Zea mays L.). Contamination of maize with aflatoxin is exacerbated by late season drought stress. Previous studies have implicated numerous resistance-associated proteins (RAPs) that may be responsible for resistance to A. flavus colonization and aflatoxin accumulation. This study examined the expression of three genes encoding RAPs, ZmPR-10 (PR-10), glyoxalase I (GLX-I), and a 14-kDa trypsin inhibitor (TI-14), in different maize genotypes under drought stressed and irrigated conditions to determine their potential utility as molecular markers for germplasm screening and evaluation utilizing quantitative real-time PCR. Results suggested that drought stress during kernel development affected gene expressions differently in different genotypes. Results were generally consistent with expectations in that RAP-coding gene expressions correlated well to known resistant traits of the examined genotypes. However, more genotypes should be studied in order to apply these genes’ expression as selection markers.