China Agricultural University and its partners unveiled two genes that confer natural variation in maize pollen fertility. Their findings are published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal.
Understanding the regulation of pollen fertility in natural populations has been a mystery for scientists. To dig deeper into this mystery, the researchers explored using a genome-wide association study and found two crucial genes in maize pollen fertility—ZmGEN1A and ZmMSH7. Mutants with defective versions of these genes showed reduced pollen fertility and lower crop yields. Furthermore, ZmMSH7 has been under selection pressure during maize domestication. This means farmers have unknowingly favored plants with a slightly altered version of this gene over time, likely because it offered some benefits.
The study's findings provide a better understanding of pollen fertility and its impact on crop yields.
(Source: Crop Biotech Update, International Service for Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications. www.isaaa.org)
