Mutant Maize Gene Gives Clues on Breeding Better Crops
May 5, 2021| |
Abnormal production of sugars and starches in the kernels of mutant maize was linked to one gene, giving insights into how maize plants deal with stress. This discovery is reported in Plant Physiology.
The Pennsylvania State University team cloned unstable factor for orange1 (ufo1), a grass gene expressed solely during seed development in maize, to understand its function. The mutant maize plants showed changes in sugars and hormones, as well as defects in the basal endosperm transfer layer and adjacent cell types. The findings show that the gene controls several traits aside from pigmentation.
With the help of ufo1 genes, the stress tolerance of maize crops can be improved, as well as its seed development, which has implications in yield and biomass.
Read more in PennState News and Plant Physiology.
| |
You might also like:
- Researchers Develop Dwarf Maize with Better Yielding Capacity by Controlling Gibberellin Levels
- Biotech Crop Annual Updates: Maize
- GM Approval Database: Maize (Zea mays L.) GM Events
Biotech Updates is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a not-for-profit organization. It is distributed for free to over 22,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10.
-
See more articles:
-
News from Around the World
- UN Agencies Conduct Virtual Consultations to Strategize Hunger Alleviation and Food System Transformation
- Oklahoma State University Scientists Wheat Gene Discovery to Increase Yields
- Study Shows First High-Quality Reference Genome of Hazelnut
- Nanonutrients Protect Crops from Fungal Diseases
- Transgenic Crop Industry in Iran Remains Steady Despite Challenges, Study Finds
- European Commission Study Shows Potential for Agriculture of New Genomic Techniques and Need for New Policy
- Research Confirms GM Grass Cleanses Soil of Toxic Pollutants Left by Military Explosives
-
Research Highlights
- Mutant Maize Gene Gives Clues on Breeding Better Crops
-
Plant
- Scientists Control Fruit Fly Population Using CRISPR
- Research Reveals GORKY Protein Turns Bitter Tomatoes Sweet
- Harvard University Researchers Create New Gene Editing Tool Retron Library Recombineering
- Researchers Explore Off-target Effects of TALEN-mediated Bar-knockout in Rice
-
Read the latest: - Biotech Updates (April 30, 2025)
- Gene Editing Supplement (April 30, 2025)
- Gene Drive Supplement (February 22, 2023)
-
Subscribe to BU: - Share
- Tweet