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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Stored Product Insect and Engineering Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #318202
Title: Resistance of Tripsacorn-introgressed maize lines to Sitophilus zeamais

Author
item Throne, James
item EUBANKS, MARY - University Of Texas
item Arthur, Franklin

Submitted to: Journal of Stored Products Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/17/2015
Publication Date: 9/8/2015
Citation: Throne, J.E., Eubanks, M.W. 2015. Resistance of Tripsacorn-introgressed maize lines to Sitophilus zeamais. Journal of Stored Products Research. 64(Part B):62-64. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.jspr.2015.08.006.

Interpretive Summary: The maize weevil is one of the major pests of corn worldwide. Development of resistant plant varieties for control of maize weevils would be particularly useful in developing countries, as well as in developed countries, because they are easy and safe to use with no added expense. We showed previously that Tripsacorn, a recombinant developed from crossing a diploid perennial teosinte and eastern gamagrass that resembles the earliest known samples of primitive corn, was immune to attack by the maize weevil, and that the hardness of the fruitcase appeared to inhibit egg laying but that this level of hardness would not be desirable in a commercial corn variety. We tested one Tripsacorn-introgressed inbred corn line and 42 hybrid combinations between eleven public inbred lines and 16 different Tripsacorn-introgressed inbreds for resistance to the maize weevil to investigate if there is a genetic basis for resistance to the maize weevil that can be conferred to corn. The genetic makeup of the lines in this assay ranged from around 75% maize and 25% exotic (i.e., gamagrass-teosinte recombinant genes) to over 93% maize and approximately 6% exotic. No progeny were produced in 21 of the entries, and only eight entries had progeny production significantly greater than zero. Results indicate that all 16 Tripsacorn-introgressed inbred lines confer resistance in first generation hybrids. Based on the results, we hypothesize a dominant gene for weevil resistance is inherited from Tripsacorn, and the data indicate that Tripsacorn provides a valuable tool for conferring native weevil resistance to corn.

Technical Abstract: The maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is one of the major pests of maize worldwide. We tested one Tripsacorn-introgressed inbred maize line and 42 hybrid combinations between eleven public inbred lines and 16 different Tripsacorn-introgressed inbreds for resistance to the maize weevil to investigate if there is a genetic basis for resistance to the maize weevil that can be conferred to maize. No progeny were produced in 21 of the entries, and only entries entries had progeny production significantly greater than zero. All the lines that exhibited complete resistance (no progeny produced) are F1 hybrids between 10 different Tripsacorn-introgressed inbred lines combined with 8 different public maize inbreds. Results indicate that all 16 Tripsacorn-introgressed inbred lines confer resistance in F1 hybrids. In some of the Tripsacorn-introgressed lines, the degree of resistance expressed varied according to combining ability and heterotic group background. Based on the results, we hypothesize a dominant gene for weevil resistance is inherited from Tripsacorn. The data indicate that Tripsacorn provides a valuable tool for conferring native weevil resistance to maize.