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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Plant Gene Expression Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #320175
Title: Genetic, evoluntionary and plant breedinginsights from the domestication of maize

Author
item Hake, Sarah
item ROSS-IBARA, J - University Of California

Submitted to: eLife
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/11/2015
Publication Date: 3/25/2015
Citation: Hake, S.C., Ross-Ibara, J. 2015. Genetic, evoluntionary and plant breedinginsights from the domestication of maize. eLife. doi: 10.7554/eLife.05861.

Interpretive Summary: Genome comparisons between varieties of maize, teosinte and other grasses are beginning to identify the genes responsible for the domestication of modern maize and are also providing ideas for the breeding of more hardy varieties.

Technical Abstract: The natural history of maize began nine thousand years ago when Mexican farmers started to collect the seeds of the wild grass, teosinte. Invaluable as a food source, maize permeated Mexican culture and religion. Its domestication eventually led to its adoption as a model organism, aided in large part by its large chromosomes, ease of pollination and growing agricultural importance.