Direct and Correlated Responses to Divergent Selection for Leaf Abscisic Acid Concentration in Two Maize Populations

Abstract

Abscisic acid (ABA) concentration can affect plant responses to drought and has been suggested as a selection criterion to improve drought tolerance. Divergent selection for high (H) and low (L) leaf ABA concentration was conducted under moderate drought conditions in the F2 of maize (Zea mays L.) single crosses Os420 × IABO78 and Mo17 × B88. Objectives of this study were to evaluate direct and correlated responses to the divergent selection. For each cross, the F2 and the H‐ and L‐populations (H‐P and L‐P) were compared. For Os420 × IABO78, the comparison was made in one location, for 2 yr, and at three irrigation volumes (corresponding to 0, 60, and 120% of crop evapotranspiration). At all irrigation volumes, H‐P exceeded L‐P for leaf ABA concentration, drought sensitivity, leaf temperature, silk delay, and lodging resistance, while it showed lower plant height and grain yield (on average, 3.61 vs. 5.14 Mg ha−1). The F2 was intermediate for most traits. Significant differences were not detected for water status traits. For Mo17 × B88, populations were compared at one irrigation volume (60% of evapotranspiration) in three environments. In all environments, H‐P was superior to L‐P for leaf ABA concentration and drought sensitivity, and it was shorter, and less productive (on average, 4.71 vs. 6.95 Mg ha−1). The F2 was intermediate for leaf ABA concentration but not for grain yield. Results indicate that selection for low leaf ABA concentration led to populations with better agronomic performance than did selection for high leaf ABA concentration.

Drought Survival and Recuperative Ability of Bentgrass Species Associated with Changes in Abscisic Acid and Cytokinin Production

“…The extent and rate of ABA accumulation varies with species or cultivars differing in drought tolerance (Conti et al, 1994;Pekic et al, 1995). Previous studies with annual crops have demonstrated a relationship between low ABA accumulation and drought tolerance (Durley et al, 1983;Innes et al, 1984;Landi et al, 2001). A drought-tolerant cultivar of orchardgrass exhibited lower leaf ABA accumulation compared with a droughtsusceptible cultivar (Volaire et al, 1998).…”

Study of the Interactive Effects of Calcium and Abscisic Acid on Drought Stressed Triticum aestivum Seedlings

“…3), which may be attributed to the role of ABA in suppressing the increases in electrolyte leakage (Rajasekaran &Blake, 1999 andSewelam et al, 2017), suggesting that ABA could reduce drought injury by protecting cell membranes and photosynthetic apparatus. The reported synthesis of dehydrin proteins under ABA treatment may represent another protective process induced by ABA (Landi et al, 2001).…”

Stomatal Conductance Is Essential for Higher Yield Potential of C3Crops

“…Selective pressure for yield increases may have eliminated genotypes with higher sensitivity to, or higher concentrations of ABA. In C 4 maize, Landi et al (2001) demonstrated that selection for low ABA leaf concentration generated genetic lines with higher yield performance in most agronomic conditions, including water-limiting conditions. In spring wheat, lines selected for low ABA concentration performed better under both irrigated and drought stress conditions for total biomass and grain yield (Read et al, 1991).…”