From QTLs to genes controlling root traits in maize

In maize, two major quantitative-trait loci (QTLs) on chromosome bins 1.06 and 2.04 have been shown to affect root architecture and a number of agronomic traits, including grain yield. The QTL on bin 2.04 (root-ABA1) also affects root lodging and ABA concentration in the leaf. To evaluate the effects of root-ABA1 better, near-isogenic lines (NILs) have been produced and evaluated per se and in testcross combinations under different water regimes. Additionally, the NILs have been crossed to obtain large mapping populations suitable for the fine-mapping of root-ABA1 and, eventually, its map-based cloning. The identification of the sequence responsible for a target QTL can be facilitated by the candidate-gene approach coupled with a comparative in silico analysis based on sequence information of model species and other crops. Genomics, when appropriately integrated with other relevant disciplines, will positively impact our understanding of root growth and function