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Plant Physiol, March 2001, Vol. 125, pp. 1258-1270
Towards a Better Understanding of the Genetic and Physiological
Basis for Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Maize
Bertrand
Hirel,*
Pascal
Bertin,
Isabelle
Quilleré,
William
Bourdoncle,
Céline
Attagnant,
Christophe
Dellay,
Aurélia
Gouy,
Sandrine
Cadiou,
Catherine
Retailliau,
Mathieu
Falque, and
André
Gallais
Unité de Nutrition Azotée des Plantes, Institut
National de la Recherche Agronomique, Route de St-Cyr 78026, Versailles
cedex, France (B.H., I.Q., C.A., C.D., Au.G., S.C., C.R.); Station de
Génétique Végétale du Moulon, Institut National
de la Recherche Agronomique-Université de Paris-Sud-Institut
National Agronomique Paris-Grignon, Ferme du Moulon, 91190 Gif/Yvette,
France (P.B., W.B., M.F., An.G.); and Institut National Agronomique
Paris-Grignon, 16 rue Claude Bernard, 75231 Paris cedex 05, France
(An.G.)
To enhance our understanding of the genetic basis of
nitrogen use efficiency in maize (Zea mays), we have
developed a quantitative genetic approach by associating metabolic
functions and agronomic traits to DNA markers. In this study, leaves of
vegetative recombinant inbred lines of maize, already assessed for
their agronomic performance, were analyzed for physiological traits
such as nitrate content, nitrate reductase (NR), and glutamine
synthetase (GS) activities. A significant genotypic variation was found
for these traits and a positive correlation was observed between
nitrate content, GS activity and yield, and its components. NR
activity, on the other hand, was negatively correlated. These results
suggest that increased productivity in maize genotypes was due to their
ability to accumulate nitrate in their leaves during vegetative growth
and to efficiently remobilize this stored nitrogen during grain
filling. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for various agronomic and
physiological traits were searched for and located on the genetic map
of maize. Coincidences of QTL for yield and its components with genes
encoding cytosolic GS and the corresponding enzyme activity were
detected. In particular, it appears that the GS locus on chromosome 5 is a good candidate gene that can, at least partially, explain
variations in yield or kernel weight. Because at this locus
coincidences of QTLs for grain yield, GS, NR activity, and nitrate
content were also observed, we hypothesize that leaf nitrate
accumulation and the reactions catalyzed by NR and GS are coregulated
and represent key elements controlling nitrogen use efficiency in maize.
*
Corresponding author; e-mail hirel{at}versailles.inra.fr; fax
33-1-30-83-30-96.
© 2001 American Society of Plant Physiologists
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