Transcriptome profiling of eight Zea mays lines identifies genes responsible for the resistance to Fusarium verticillioides.

Background: The cultivation of maize (Zea mays L.), one of the most important crops worldwide for food, feed, biofuels, and industrial applications, faces significant constraints due to Fusarium verticillioides, a fungus responsible for severe diseases including seedling blights, stalk rot, and ear rot. Its impact is worsened by the fact that chemical and agronomic measures used to control the infection are often inefficient.