Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42490303›Full record

ArticleThe Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology2026

Genetic coupling of leaf and kernel-related traits shapes drought adaptation in maize.

Zhibo Qu, Xudong Han, Shuaitong Ji, Bingpeng Yang, Binwen Shi, Yanhui Wang, Hongjing Lu, Wenkang Chen, Wanchao Zhu, Shutu Xu and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Zhibo QuState Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
Xudong HanState Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
Shuaitong JiState Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
Bingpeng YangSyngenta Seed Technology (China) Co., Ltd, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
Binwen ShiSyngenta Seed Technology (China) Co., Ltd, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
Yanhui WangState Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
Hongjing LuState Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
Wenkang ChenState Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7326-2595
Wanchao ZhuState Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5924-5270
Shutu XuState Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1538-6834
Jiquan XueState Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.

Funding

the Key Research and Development Program Project of Shaanxi Province 2024NC2-GJHX-16the Key Research and Development Program Project of Shaanxi Province 2024ZY-CGZY-17
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The source-sink balance between leaf-based source tissues and grain reproductive sink tissues largely governs crop yield and is highly vulnerable to abiotic stress. Few studies have been conducted to uncover the genetic mechanisms behind this relationship under stress. Herein, we dissect the genetic architecture for the source (leaf characteristics) and the sink (kernel characteristics) under two water conditions in Zea mays by integrating genome-wide association study (GWAS), linkage mapping, and RNA-seq. A total of 44 QTLs and 22 QEIs were identified by both GWAS and linkage mapping, including 29 QTLs and 12 QEIs co-locating for source and sink traits, allowing the identification of several promising drought-tolerant candidate genes. Among them, GRMZM2G466044 (ZmEREB195) encodes an ethylene-responsive transcription factor that is differentially expressed in leaves after drought treatment. Phenotyping of two mutants of ZmEREB195 showed that source-related traits, such as chlorophyll content and leaf area, were significantly higher after drought treatment than those of the wild type, thus increasing accumulation in the sink organ and producing larger kernels. Our study provides candidate genes for in-depth analysis of drought tolerance mechanisms during the flowering stage under field water stress, offering new insights into the mechanisms underlying coordinated source-sink responses to drought in maize.

Indexed as

Plant LeavesZea maysChromosome MappingDrought ResistanceDroughtsGene Expression Regulation, PlantGenome-Wide Association StudyPhenotypePlant ProteinsQuantitative Trait LociSeedsStress, PhysiologicalPlant Proteinsdroughtgenetic analysismaizesource–sink traitsZmEREB195

Identifiers

PMID42490303
PMCPMC13395115

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.