Linkage mapping and genomic prediction of grain quality traits in tropical maize ( L.).

The suboptimal productivity of maize systems in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a pressing issue, with far-reaching implications for food security, nutrition, and livelihood sustainability within the affected smallholder farming communities. Dissecting the genetic basis of grain protein, starch and oil content can increase our understanding of the governing genetic systems, improve the efficacy of future breeding schemes and optimize the end-use quality of tropical maize. Here, four bi-parental maize populations were evaluated in field trials in Kenya and genotyped with mid-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers.

Simulated drought stress unravels differential response and different mechanisms of drought tolerance in newly developed tropical field corn inbreds.

Corn is one of the most important cereal crops in the world with highest yield potential. Nevertheless, its potential productivity is constrained by the occurrences of drought stress worldwide. Besides, in the era of climate change, frequent occurrences of severe droughts are predicted.