A Classification of 45 Maize Inbred Lines Used in China with RFLP Markers

The classification of heterotic groups is essential to maize breeding because knowledge of heterotic groups could be interest to both the combination of outstanding hybrids and the improvement of elite inbred lines. RFLP has provided a powerful tool to assign maize inbred lines into heterotic groups. In this investigation, 45 inbred lines, used widely in south and southwest China, were chosen for RFLP analysis, among which 4 lines came from American, representing different heterotic groups in U.S. corn belt. 54 RFLP core markers covering 10 chromosomes of maize were used. A total DNA of each sample was digested with EcoR I, BamH I and Hind 1. The procedure of RFLP was employed as described by a manual from maize RFLP lab at University of Missouri, Columbia. A total of 860 bands were detected among 45 inbred lines based on RFLP analysis, which were involved in 212 loci. Alleles at each locus ranged from 2 to 9 with an average of 4.06. In total, The 45 inbred lines were classified into 6 heterotic groups according to RFLP data with Ward's method. 3 heterotic groups, including Mol7, B73 and Oh43 respectively, seemed to be the same to U. S. heterotic groups. 21 inbred lines, most of which derived from Chinese local germplasm, were classified together into two heterotic groups, indicating domistic germplasm was different from U. S. germplasm at the molecular level and played an important role in maize hybrid production in China. Two inbred lines from tropic germplasm were assigned in the same group. These results provided useful information for our understanding maize heterotic groups and heterotic patterns in China.

Physical Location of Terminal Markers Belonging to Five Linkage Groups in Maize RFLP Map Using in Situ Hybridization

Ten terminal or subterminal RFLP markers belonging to linkage groups 1, 3, 5, 6, and 10 in maize RFLP map were physically located onto maize mitotic chromosomes with in situ hybridization. All biotinylated probes from 600 to 2 250 bp were detected by DAB staining. The markers belonging to linkage groups 1, 3, 5, 6, and 10 correspondingly located at the chromosomes 1, 3, 5, 6, and 10. All of the tested markers except bnl6.25 and umc44 were duplicated sequences. Each of them was also labeled on another chromosome besides on the chromosome corresponding to its linkage group. The marker bnl3.04 was triplicated sequences and the signals were detected on three nonhomologous chromosomes. In the tested ten markers, there were only four located at the ends of corresponding chromosomes. Others were located at sites midway along the chromosome arms or near the centromeres. The region covered by two terminal or subterminal markers in each of linkage groups 1, 3, 5, and 6 occupied 80.02%, 38.25%, 82.30% and 51.16% of the region of both short and long arms in chromosomes 1, 3, 5,and 6 respectively. Only two terminal markers of linkage group 10 covered the whole chromosome 10. In some linkage groups, two terminal or subterminal markers covered a short genetic distance but were physically distant, while two covering a longer genetic distance were physically closer.

Physical Location of HelminthosporiumCarbonum Susceptibility Gene hm1 by FISH of a RFLP Marker umc119 in Maize

A fluorescencein situ hybridization (FISH) procedure was adopted to physically map a RFLP marker, umc119 near the centromere of the long arm of linkage group1 in maize. The hm1 gene (Helminthosporium carbonum susceptibility gene) was linked closely with the marker umc119. RFLP markers are very good landmarks for mapping genes. Therefore, we also determined the position of the gene hm1 on the chromosome based on the physical location of umc119. The disease induced by infection ofHelminthosporium carbonum is one of the serious maize diseases and it distributes in many countries including China. Hybridization sites were showed on 1 L (long arm of chromosome1) and 5 L. The percentage distance from centromere to the hybridization site was 22.86 on 1 L and 58.23 on 5 L the detection rate was about 12% for mitotic cells. In interphase nuclei five hybridized sites were detected. It demonstrated that umc119 was multiplicated sequences. FISH has more advantages overin situ hybridization (ISH) detected by DAB for increasing the detection ratio and contrast between chromosomes and hybridization signals. The ability to detect the hybridization signal of a small low copy DNA sequence is a very important key towards wide application of FISH for plant genome mapping.

Blend Films of Chitosan/Starch

The technique of simultaneous G banding and in situ hybridization has been developed in plants for the first time. Using this technique, RFLP marker umc58 closely linked with the hm1 gene dictating Helminthosporium carbonum susceptibility1 was localized onto 1L3 (chromosome 1, long arm, the third band from the centromere to the end of the arm), 5L5 and 9L5. The results demonstrated that umc58 was a triplicated sequence. It was deduced that umc58 probably was in a duplicated region that includes a part of Helminthosporium carbonum susceptibility genes (hm1 and hm2), as the hybridization sites of umc58 in chromosomes 1 and 9 were those at which the genes localize. The techniques of simultaneous G banding and ISH in plants are discussed.

Importance of over-dominance as the genetic basis of heterosis in rice

n populations derived from commercial hybrid rice combination Shanyou 10, F1 heterosis and F2 inbreeding depression were observed on grain yield (GYD) and number of panicles (NP). Using marker loci evenly distributed on the linkage map as fixing factors, the F2 population was divided into sub-populations. In a large number of sub-populations, significant correlations were observed between heterozygosity and GYD, and between heterozygosity and NP. This was especially true in type III sub-populations in which the genotype of a fixing factor was heterozygotes. In type III sub-populations, 15 QTL for GYD and 13 QTL for NP were detected, of which the majority exhibited over-dominance effects for increasing the trait values. This study showed that over-dominance played an important role in the genetic control of heterosis in rice.