Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42481944›Full record

ArticleBMC genomics2026

Identification of a pleiotropic QTL and candidate genes underlying ear traits of maize (Zea mays L.) through controlling the activity of inflorescence meristem.

Xiaomeng Shen, Yifei Wang, Luyuan Wang, Yan Bai, Fenglin Jiang, Luling Jiang, Xiangyin Hou, Jinsheng Lai, Liru Cao, Weibin Song

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Article in BMC genomics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Xiaomeng Shen *The Shennong Laboratory/Institute of Crop Molecular Breeding, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450002, China.
Yifei Wang *Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-breeding, Key Laboratory of Genome Editing Research and Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Luyuan Wang *The Shennong Laboratory/Institute of Crop Molecular Breeding, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450002, China.
Yan BaiDepartment of Plant Genetics and Breeding, State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-breeding, Key Laboratory of Genome Editing Research and Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Fenglin JiangThe Shennong Laboratory/Institute of Crop Molecular Breeding, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450002, China.
Luling JiangThe Shennong Laboratory/Institute of Crop Molecular Breeding, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450002, China.
Xiangyin HouDepartment of Plant Genetics and Breeding, State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-breeding, Key Laboratory of Genome Editing Research and Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Jinsheng LaiThe Shennong Laboratory/Institute of Crop Molecular Breeding, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450002, China.
Liru CaoThe Shennong Laboratory/Institute of Crop Molecular Breeding, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450002, China.
Weibin SongDepartment of Plant Genetics and Breeding, State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-breeding, Key Laboratory of Genome Editing Research and Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China. songwb@cau.edu.cn.

Funding

Henan Provincial Key Research and Development Program 251111111500National Key Research and Development Program of China 2021YFD1200701National Natural Science Foundation of China 32401888National Natural Science Foundation of China 32425041the Key Research Project of the Shennong Laboratory SN01-2025-01the Key Science and Technology Program of Henan Province 252102110277
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe ear of maize is a highly domesticated organ that has undergone a substantial increase in volume compared to its wild ancestor teosinte, resulting in a significant yield enhancement in modern cultivated maize. Application of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) mapping using the maize-teosinte segregation population facilitated the identification of more potential favorable variations for utilization in cultivation. However, the mature ear traits of the maize-teosinte population are influenced by genetic introgression from teosinte, which poses significant challenges to the investigation of yield-related traits due to abnormal sex differentiation of the inflorescence at the immature ear stage.

resultsThis study investigated mature ear traits along with the activity of the female inflorescence meristem (IM) using a Teosinte‑Maize introgression (TM) population via measuring the IM size. A total of 32 QTLs were detected across multiple environments over several years, with individual QTLs explaining 5.18% to 21.48% of the phenotypic variation. Notably, a major pleiotropic QTL regulating IM size and many ear traits was identified and narrowed to a 3.64 cM genetic interval on chromosome 3, namely qIM3. One candidate gene encoding ZmEREB147 (Zm00001d043205) was identified with the help of transcriptome data, and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis demonstrated that qIM3 is involved in several hormone-mediated pathways and meristem development.

conclusionsThe rapid implementation of these findings in maize molecular breeding holds important potential application value and provides broad prospects for improving maize yield.

Indexed as

Genetic PleiotropyInflorescenceMeristemQuantitative Trait LociZea maysChromosome MappingPhenotypeEarInflorescence meristemMaizeQuantitative trait locus (QTL)

Identifiers

PMID42481944
PMCPMC13678870

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