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Abstract Background The crosslinking of maize cell wall components, particularly mediated by the formation of ferulic acid dimers or diferulates, has been associated with important crop valorization traits such as increased pest resistance, lower forage digestibility, or reduced bioethanol production. However, these relationships were based on studies performed using diverse unrelated inbred lines and/or populations, so genetic background could interfere on these associations. Results In the present research, the success of a pedigree selection program aimed to obtain inbred lines from a common antecessor with contrasting diferulate concentration was evaluated. From the 10 inbreds lines developed we could validate the success of the breeding program, obtaining 4 inbred lines with significant contrating values of total diferulate content in the pith tissues (two of each group): high (X̅= 0.69 mg/g of DW) and low (X̅= 0.35 mg/g). Ferulate changes in the same way were also observed: high (X̅= 3.09 mg/g of DW) and low (X̅= 1.62 mg/g). On the other hand, we found strong and positive correlations between DFAT and individual dimers, and moderate negative correlations between total DFAT and a main cell wall component such as cellulose. However, we did not find a significant effect of DFAT on maize valorization traits, except of a negative effect of DFAT on the concentration of sugars released after the enzimatic hydrolysis of the pith tissues. Interestingly, increasing DFAT in the pith does not seem to affect the digestibility of the forage or the saccharification of the stover residue, highlighting that changes in a specific tissue do not encompass correlated changes in other resources. Conclusions Overall, we have obtained contrasting inbred lines with diferulates concentration, which could be uselful in further studies focussing in the identification of regions/genes predominantly involved in the hydroxycinnamate biosynthesis pathway and cell wall crosslinking network.

Abstract Maize kernel is exposed to several fungal species, most notably Fusarium verticillioides, which can contaminate maize kernels with fumonisins. In an effort to increase genetic gains and avoid the laborious tasks of conventional breeding, the use of marker-assisted selection or genomic selection programs was proposed. To this end, in the present study a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) was performed on 339 RILs of a Multiparental Advanced Generation InterCross (MAGIC) population that had previously been used to locate Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) for resistance to Fusarium Ear Rot (FER). Six QTLs for fumonisin content were detected in the bins 3.08, 4.07, 4.10, 7.03-7.04, 9.04-9.05 and 10.04-10.5. Five of the six QTLs collocate in regions where QTLs for FER were also found. However, the genetic variation for fumonisin content in kernel is conditioned by many other QTLs of small effect that could show QTL x environment interaction effects. Although a genomic selection approach to directly reduce fumonisin content in the kernel could be suitable, improving resistance to fumonisin content by genomic selection for FER would be more advisable.

Abstract Background Corn borers constitute an important pest of maize around the world; in particular Sesamia nonagrioides Lefèbvre, named Mediterranean corn borer (MCB), causes important losses in Southern Europe. Methods of selection can be combined with transgenic approaches to increase the efficiency and durability of the resistance to corn borers. Previous studies of the genetic factors involved in resistance to MCB have been carried out using bi-parental populations that have low resolution or using association inbred panels that have a low power to detect rare alleles. We developed a Multi-parent Advanced Generation InterCrosses (MAGIC) population to map with high resolution the genetic determinants of resistance to MCB. Results We detected multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of low effect associated with resistance to stalk tunneling by MCB. We dissected a wide region related to stalk tunneling in multiple studies into three smaller regions (at ~ 150, ~ 155, and ~ 165 Mb in chromosome 6) that closely overlap with regions associated with cell wall composition. We also detected regions associated with kernel resistance and agronomic traits, although the co-localization of significant regions between traits was very low. This indicates that it is possible the concurrent improvement of resistance and agronomic traits. Conclusions We developed a mapping population which allowed a finer dissection of the genetics of maize resistance to corn borers and a solid nomination of candidate genes based on functional information. The population, given its large variability, was also adequate to map multiple traits and study the relationship between them.

Abstract Background Sesamia nonagrioides Lefebvere (Mediterranean corn borer, MCB) is the main pest of maize in the Mediterranean area. QTL for MCB stalk tunneling and grain yield under high MCB infestation had been located at bin 8.03–8.05 (4–21 cM and 10–30 cM respectively) in a previous analysis of the EP42 x EP39 RILs mapping population. The objective of the present work was to study with higher resolution those QTL, and validating and estimating with higher precision their locations and effects. To achieve this objective, we developed a set of 38 heterogeneous inbred families (HIFs) which were near-homozygous in the genome, except in the region under study. The HIFs were evaluated in multiple environments under artificial infestation with MCB and genotyped with SNPs. Results The QTL for grain yield under high infestation was confirmed with higher precision and improved reliability at 112.6–116.9 Mb. On the contrary, the location of the QTL for stalk tunneling was not validated probably due to the fixation of some genomic regions during the development of the HIFs. Our study confirmed that the co-localization of the QTL for stalk tunneling and grain yield in the previous study was due to linked genes, not to pleiotropic effects. So, the QTL for grain yield can be used for improving grain yield without undesirable effect on stalk tunneling. Conclusions The HIF analysis is useful for validating QTL and for conducting deeper studies in traits related to corn borer resistance.