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Goals are to develop and evaluate corn inbreds demonstrating resistance to aflatoxin contamination in the U.S. and Africa, and to identify biochemical markers in these inbreds useful in marker-assisted breeding.
Approach:
Inbreds will be developed through breeding at International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan, Nigeria, West Africa. They will then be selected based on agronomic traits and foliar and ear rot resistance(s) and sent to the U.S. for evaluation for resistance to aflatoxin contamination using the rapid kernel screening assay (KSA). Information obtained through these screenings will be used to select lines to advance, through breeding, to the next generation. The KSA will also be used to idetify near-isogenic lines differing in aflatoxin accumulation among the breeding materials. Proteomics and microarry analysis will performed on these lines to identify proteins and corresponding genes associated with resistance. Information obtained will be used to develop markers for use in marker-assisted breeding. Resistance will be confirmed in all lines under natural conditions of high disease pressure in Nigeria. Promising germplasm will be released for use in U.S. breeding programs and national programs in Central and West Africa.