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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Genetics and Breeding Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #326342
Title: Developing maize germplasm lines with multiple insect and disease resistance and low aflatoxin contamination

Author
item Ni, Xinzhi
item HUFFAKER, ALISA - University Of California
item SCHMELZ, ERIC - University Of California
item XU, WENWEI - Texas A&M University
item Williams, William

Submitted to: International Congress of Entomology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/13/2015
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: not required

Technical Abstract: Yield and quality losses caused BY insects, diseases, and mycotoxin contaminations are the critical impediments for maize production under warm climate. In order to develop maize germplasm lines with resistance to multiple insect pests and aflatoxin accumulation, a set of 13 reciprocal breeding crosses was made using maize inbred lines with fall army resistance and high levels of kauralexins or zealexins. These breeding crosses were evaluated under field conditions in 2013 and 2014. In each year, the 13 breeding crosses and 4 commercial controls were evaluated for yield, insect and disease resistance, and aflatoxin contamination USING a randomized complete block design with four replications. Fall armyworm [Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith)] and corn earworm [Helicoverpa zea (Boddie)] resistance, and aflatoxin contamination, produced by Aspergillus flavus were screened after artificial inoculations. The infection of southern rust, Puccinia polysora Underwood, was evaluated based on heavy natural infection in 2014. Significant difference was detected among these breeding crosses in yield, fall armyworm, corn earworm, and southern rust resistance, and level of aflatoxin contamination. The best breeding crosses with good yield potential, insect and southern rust resistance and low level of aflatoxin contamination will be advanced for maize germplasm development.