Location: Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research
2021 Annual Report
Accomplishments
1. Development of a biochemical model for cross-incompatibility systems in maize. Cross-incompatibility systems in maize determine what plants can successfully cross-pollinate each other. These systems have great potential for controlling genetic purity, including reducing genetically modified organism (GMO) contamination in organic corn. While these systems have been studied genetically for more than 100 years, researchers have only recently learned the molecular identity of the genes involved, and how they work is still a mystery. Working with researchers from the Indiana Crop Improvement Association and the Carnegie Institute, ARS researchers in Ames, Iowa, proposed a biochemical model for how the genes work to prevent pollination, based on the predicted functions of the newly-identified genes that control the processes. This model provides researchers with hypotheses to test, for example that the level of pectinmethyesterase activity determines whether pollinations are successful, and that a specific interaction between a pectinmethylesterase and a pectinmethyesterase inhibitor is needed to determine the level of pectinmethyesterase activity. Testing these hypotheses will lead to a better understanding of how cross incompatibility systems work. It also provides a framework for engineering novel cross incompatibility systems with improved functionality. Understanding cross incompatibility systems at the biochemical level will allow plant breeders to develop new varieties of maize with increased genetic purity.
Review Publications
Khamphasan, P., Lomthaisong, K., Harakotr, B., Scott, M.P., Lertrat, K., Suriharn, B. 2020. Combining ability and heterosis for agronomic traits, husk and cob pigment concentration of maize. Agriculture. 10(11). Article 510. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10110510.
Sukto, S., Lomthaisong, K., Sanitchon, J., Chankaew, S., Scott, M.P., Lubberstedt, T.P., Lertrat, K., Suriham, B. 2020. Variability in prolificacy, total carotenoids, lutein, and zeaxanthin of yellow small-ear waxy corn germplasm. International Journal of Agronomy. 2020. Article 8818768. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8818768.
Lu, Y., Moran Lauter, A., Makkena, S., Scott, M.P., Evans, M.M. 2020. Insights into the molecular control of cross-incompatibility in Zea mays. Plant Reproduction. 33: 117-128. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00497-020-00394-w.
