Development of Maize Hybrids With Enhanced Vitamin-E, Vitamin-A, Lysine, and Tryptophan Through Molecular Breeding

Abstract

Malnutrition is a widespread problem that affects human health, society, and the economy. Traditional maize that serves as an important source of human nutrition is deficient in vitamin-E, vitamin-A, lysine, and tryptophan. Here, favorable alleles of vte4 (α-tocopherol methyl transferase), crtRB1 (β-carotene hydroxylase), lcyE (lycopene ε-cyclase), and o2 (opaque2) genes were combined in parental lines of four popular hybrids using marker-assisted selection (MAS). BC1F1, BC2F1, and BC2F2 populations were genotyped using gene-based markers of vte4, crtRB1, lcyE, and o2. Background selection using 81–103 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) markers led to the recovery of recurrent parent genome (RPG) up to 95.45%. Alpha (α)-tocopherol was significantly enhanced among introgressed progenies (16.13 μg/g) as compared to original inbreds (7.90 μg/g). Provitamin-A (proA) (10.42 μg/g), lysine (0.352%), and tryptophan (0.086%) were also high in the introgressed progenies. The reconstituted hybrids showed a 2-fold enhancement in α-tocopherol (16.83 μg/g) over original hybrids (8.06 μg/g). Improved hybrids also possessed high proA (11.48 μg/g), lysine (0.367%), and tryptophan (0.084%) when compared with traditional hybrids. The reconstituted hybrids recorded the mean grain yield of 8,066 kg/ha, which was at par with original hybrids (mean: 7,846 kg/ha). The MAS-derived genotypes resembled their corresponding original hybrids for the majority of agronomic and yield-related traits, besides characteristics related to distinctness, uniformity, and stability (DUS). This is the first report for the development of maize with enhanced vitamin-E, vitamin-A, lysine, and tryptophan.

Unravelling the genetic framework associated with grain quality and yield-related traits in maize (Zea mays L.)

“…Later, improvement in breeding strategies to develop nutritionally superior maize resulted in poor agronomic characteristics leading to huge productivity loss. Since the nutritional value is determined by both physiological traits and nutrient content, knowledge of the inheritance of grain yield, nutrient content (macro and micro-nutrients), as well as the genetic relationships among these traits, can facilitate maize breeders working on biofortified varieties with enhanced yield potential ( Das et al, 2021 ).…”

Some physiological effect of Different Protein Sources in Ruminants Ration: A Comparative Review

“…Fiber is about 1% and is a good source of the amino acid methionine and cysteine-rich in sulfur that the body needs, but it is poor in the amino acid arginine, lysine, and tryptophan (Gorissen et al, 2018). It is easily digestible, corn gluten is a rich source of the vitamin B group, and vitamin E contains low amounts of phosphorus (Das et al, 2021). Corn gluten meal is widely used in the composition of feed for farm animals due to its high protein content, high level of yellow xanthophyll pigment, and relatively low cost of purchase (Peng et al, 2017).…”

Gene actions and combining ability effects on grain yield and its constituent traits in inbred lines of quality protein maize

“…The protein content in maize is crucial for the country's food and dietary wellbeing since more than 85 per cent of it is used directly as food and feed. On the other hand, Normal maize has a high zein proportion that is deficient in tryptophan and lysine content (Das et al, 2021). In 1964, scientists at Purdue University identified the opaque-2 (o-2) gene mutation, which provided endless potential for enhancing the protein content of maize kernels and eventually led to the creation of Quality Protein Maize (QPM).…”