Development of β-carotene rich maize hybrids through marker-assisted introgression of β-carotene hydroxylase allele

PLoS One. 2014 Dec 8;9(12):e113583. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113583. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Development of vitamin A-rich cereals can help in alleviating the widespread problem of vitamin A deficiency. We report here significant enhancement of kernel β-carotene in elite maize genotypes through accelerated marker-assisted backcross breeding. A favourable allele (543 bp) of the β-carotene hydroxylase (crtRB1) gene was introgressed in the seven elite inbred parents, which were low (1.4 µg/g) in kernel β-carotene, by using a crtRB1-specific DNA marker for foreground selection. About 90% of the recurrent parent genome was recovered in the selected progenies within two backcross generations. Concentration of β-carotene among the crtRB1-introgressed inbreds varied from 8.6 to 17.5 µg/g - a maximum increase up to 12.6-fold over recurrent parent. The reconstituted hybrids developed from improved parental inbreds also showed enhanced kernel β-carotene as high as 21.7 µg/g, compared to 2.6 µg/g in the original hybrid. The reconstituted hybrids evaluated at two locations possessed similar grain yield to that of original hybrids. These β-carotene enriched high yielding hybrids can be effectively utilized in the maize biofortification programs across the globe.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alleles*
  • Crops, Agricultural
  • Gene Order
  • Genetic Loci
  • Genetic Markers
  • Inbreeding
  • Mixed Function Oxygenases / genetics*
  • Mixed Function Oxygenases / metabolism*
  • Phenotype
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Zea mays / genetics*
  • Zea mays / metabolism*
  • beta Carotene / metabolism*

Substances

  • Genetic Markers
  • beta Carotene
  • Mixed Function Oxygenases
  • beta-carotene hydroxylase

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the Department of Biotechnolgy, Government of India under the Project “Development of micronutrient enriched maize through molecular breeding”. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.