Diversity of maize (zea mays l.) Landraces in eastern Serbia: morphological and storage protein characterization

Ten maize accessions (labelled as PF-ZM plus number) from Eastern Serbia were characterized by means of morphological and storage protein analysis. Estimation of 20 morphological traits was based on the IBP-GR Descriptors for maize. Zein composition was determined by the SDS gel electrophoresis. Variation of morphological characteristics among populations ranged from 4% for kernel width to 28% for kernel length. Accessions with the highest values of morphological traits were identified: PF-ZM 4 for ear diameter and kernel length, PF-ZM 5 for number of leaves and diameters of cob and rachis, PF-ZM 12 for leaf width and kernel thickness, PF-ZM 18 for number of kernels per row, PF-ZM 34 for number of ears per plant, venation index, number of rows per ear, and diameter of ear basis, and finally PF-ZM 37 for plant height, leaf length, and ear length. The gel electrophoresis showed the presence of five different fractions of zein proteins, which were classified as alpha-zeins and gamma-zeins. The alpha-zeins comprised on average 64 percent of the total registered zeins. Molecular weights of alpha-zein fractions identified on the gels were 17, 18, 21 and 24 kDa, and the only fraction identified as gamma-zein was 27 kDa. The assessment of morphological / productive traits of landraces, together with molecular markers, could represent a prerequisite for their protection. At the same time, such information could be of importance for both scientists and breeders