The sustainability of tropical maize as an alternative biofuel or silage crop

With increasing world population, the U.S. Department of Energy initiated the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) requiring by 2030 the replacement of 30% of petroleum based fuel sources with biofuel (USDA 2010). Tropical maize (Zea mays L.) has potential as a new biofuel crop for the Midwestern US. It is a temperate by tropical (or tropical by tropical) hybrid that retains the photoperiod sensitivity of tropical materials when grown in temperate regions, resulting in high biomass, but with delayed flowering that reduces or eliminates grain production. The reduced grain production results in accumulation of sucrose in the stalk and a lower nitrogen fertilizer requirement. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of sustainable practices such as conservation tillage, cover crops, and reduced nitrogen fertilizer application on tropical maize as a biofuel, biomass, or animal feed crop. Tropical maize hybrids have been characterized as: 1) dual purpose, producing high biomass levels with high quality grain that can be harvested for the grain and the stover used in a bale-burning furnace for thermal energy, or that can be ensiled for use as animal feed; and 2) high sugar, producing high biomass and high stalk sugar accumulation that can be used for ethanol production. The experiment was conducted in Champaign, IL in 2014 and 2015. The two hybrid types were planted into tilled strips evaluated under three nitrogen rates of 0, 67 and 202 kg N ha-1. Two annual cover crops, annual ryegrass and pennycress, were compared to a perennial ground cover, creeping bentgrass, and a no-cover control. Annual cover crops produced tropical maize biomass yields similar to the no-cover control regardless of hybrid. Animal performance was similar when fed tropical maize grown at a lower rate of nitrogen compared to conventional field corn silage. Results show that a management system that optimizes the environmental sustainability of tropical maize can be used while maintaining a competitive yield

Biomass Production and Composition of Temperate and Tropical Maize in Central Iowa

Bioethanol production in the midwestern U.S. has largely focused on maize (Zea mays L.) grain for starch-based ethanol production. There has been growing interest in lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for biofuels. Because maize adapted to the tropics does not initiate senescence as early as temperate-adapted maize, using a tropical germplasm could improve biomass yield. This study compares the suitability of temperate and tropical maize with differing relative maturities as feedstocks for bioethanol production. Field trials were established in central Iowa during the 2014 and 2015 growing seasons. Six hybrids of different relative maturities were grown at two levels of N fertilization and two row spacings to evaluate total biomass production and feedstock quality under midwestern U.S. conditions. Total biomass, height at the final leaf collar, stem diameter at one meter above ground, and lignocellulose concentration were measured at harvest. Tropical maize was taller and had greater non-grain and total biomass production (15% more than temperate maize), while temperate maize had greater grain yield and grain starch, as well as earlier maturation. Narrower row spacing had greater biomass and grain yield. Nitrogen fertilization rate affected grain and feedstock composition. Tropical maize had lower cellulose, lignin, and ash concentrations and higher nitrogen at harvest than that of temperate maize. Conversely, temperate maize had greater ash, cellulose, and lignin concentrations. Tropical maize planted at high densities has high potential as a feedstock for bioethanol production in the U.S. Midwest

An integrated molecular and conventional breeding scheme for enhancing genetic gain in maize in Africa

Open Access Journal; Published online: 06 Nov 2019Maize production in West and Central Africa (WCA) is constrained by a wide range of interacting stresses that keep productivity below potential yields. Among the many problems afflicting maize production in WCA, drought, foliar diseases, and parasitic weeds are the most critical. Several decades of efforts devoted to the genetic improvement of maize have resulted in remarkable genetic gain, leading to increased yields of maize on farmers’ fields. The revolution unfolding in the areas of genomics, bioinformatics, and phenomics is generating innovative tools, resources, and technologies for transforming crop breeding programs. It is envisaged that such tools will be integrated within maize breeding programs, thereby advancing these programs and addressing current and future challenges. Accordingly, the maize improvement program within International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is undergoing a process of modernization through the introduction of innovative tools and new schemes that are expected to enhance genetic gains and impact on smallholder farmers in the region. Genomic tools enable genetic dissections of complex traits and promote an understanding of the physiological basis of key agronomic and nutritional quality traits. Marker-aided selection and genome-wide selection schemes are being implemented to accelerate genetic gain relating to yield, resilience, and nutritional quality. Therefore, strategies that effectively combine genotypic information with data from field phenotyping and laboratory-based analysis are currently being optimized. Molecular breeding, guided by methodically defined product profiles tailored to different agroecological zones and conditions of climate change, supported by state-of-the-art decision-making tools, is pivotal for the advancement of modern, genomics-aided maize improvement programs. Accelerated genetic gain, in turn, catalyzes a faster variety replacement rate. It is critical to forge and strengthen partnerships for enhancing the impacts of breeding products on farmers’ livelihood. IITA has well-established channels for delivering its research products/technologies to partner organizations for further testing, multiplication, and dissemination across various countries within the subregion. Capacity building of national agricultural research system (NARS) will facilitate the smooth transfer of technologies and best practices from IITA and its partners

Limits of agricultural greenhouse gas calculators to predict soil N2O and CH4 fluxes in tropical agriculture

Acknowledgements This work was undertaken as part of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), which is a strategic partnership of CGIAR and Future Earth. This research was carried out with funding by the European Union (EU) and with technical support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The UN FAO Mitigation of Climate Change in Agriculture (MICCA) Programme funded data collection in Kenya and Tanzania. The views expressed in the document cannot be taken to reflect the official opinions of CGIAR, Future Earth, or donors. We thank Louis Bockel of the UN FAO Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA) for his comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Mapa genético saturado de microssatélite: caminhando para uma cobertura genômica em uma população de milho tropical (Zea mays L.)

Dense molecular genetic maps are used for an efficient quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and in the marker-assisted selection programs. A dense genetic map was generated with 139 microsatellite markers using 256 F2 plants generated by the crossing of two tropical maize inbred lines (L-02-03D and L-20-01F). This map presented 1,858.61 cM in length, where 10 linkage groups were found spanned, with an average interval of 13.47 cM between adjacent markers. Seventy seven percent of the maize genetic mapping bins were covered, which means an increase of 14% coverage in relation to the previous tropical maize maps. The results provide a more detailed and informative genetic map in a tropical maize population representing the first step to make possible the studies of genetic architecture to identify and map QTL and estimate their effects on the variation of quantitative traits, thus allowing the manipulation and use in tropical maize breeding programs323499508Mapas genéticos saturados são utilizados para um eficiente mapeamento de caracteres de interesse agronômico (QTL) e nos programas de seleção assistida. Este trabalho gerou um mapa genético saturado utilizando 139 marcadores moleculares do tipo microssatélites em 256 plantas F2 geradas pelo cruzamento de duas linhagens de milho tropical (L-02-03D e L-20-01F). O mapa obtido teve uma extensão total de 1.858,61 cM, ao longo de 10 grupos de ligação, com intervalo médio entre os marcadores de 13,47 cM. Setenta e nove percento dos "bins" do mapa genético de milho foram cobertos, com um acréscimo de 14% de cobertura em relação aos mapas de milho publicados. Os resultados mostram um mapa genético mais detalhado e informativo em uma população de milho tropical representando uma primeira etapa que possibilitará desenvolver estudos da arquitetura genética para a identificação e mapeamento de QTL e a estimativa de seus efeitos sobre a variação de um caráter quantitativo, permitindo assim a sua manipulação e utilização em programas de melhoramento do milh

Mapa genético saturado de microssatélite: caminhando para uma cobertura genômica em uma população de milho tropical (Zea mays L.)

Dense molecular genetic maps are used for an efficient quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and in the marker-assisted selection programs. A dense genetic map was generated with 139 microsatellite markers using 256 F2 plants generated by the crossing of two tropical maize inbred lines (L-02-03D and L-20-01F). This map presented 1,858.61 cM in length, where 10 linkage groups were found spanned, with an average interval of 13.47 cM between adjacent markers. Seventy seven percent of the maize genetic mapping bins were covered, which means an increase of 14% coverage in relation to the previous tropical maize maps. The results provide a more detailed and informative genetic map in a tropical maize population representing the first step to make possible the studies of genetic architecture to identify and map QTL and estimate their effects on the variation of quantitative traits, thus allowing the manipulation and use in tropical maize breeding programs.Mapas genéticos saturados são utilizados para um eficiente mapeamento de caracteres de interesse agronômico (QTL) e nos programas de seleção assistida. Este trabalho gerou um mapa genético saturado utilizando 139 marcadores moleculares do tipo microssatélites em 256 plantas F2 geradas pelo cruzamento de duas linhagens de milho tropical (L-02-03D e L-20-01F). O mapa obtido teve uma extensão total de 1.858,61 cM, ao longo de 10 grupos de ligação, com intervalo médio entre os marcadores de 13,47 cM. Setenta e nove percento dos "bins" do mapa genético de milho foram cobertos, com um acréscimo de 14% de cobertura em relação aos mapas de milho publicados. Os resultados mostram um mapa genético mais detalhado e informativo em uma população de milho tropical representando uma primeira etapa que possibilitará desenvolver estudos da arquitetura genética para a identificação e mapeamento de QTL e a estimativa de seus efeitos sobre a variação de um caráter quantitativo, permitindo assim a sua manipulação e utilização em programas de melhoramento do milho.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

QTLs for early vigor of tropical maize

A strong photosynthetic performance and rapid leaf development, are important indicators of vigorous early growth. The aim of this study was to (1) evaluate the tropical maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines CML444 and SC-Malawi for their photosynthetic performance at different growth stages and (2) assess quantitative trait loci (QTL) of photosynthesis-related traits in their 236 recombinant inbred lines at the heterotrophic growth stage. CML444 had a higher leaf chlorophyll (SPAD) content than SC-Malawi. Ten QTLs were found for the quantum efficiency of photosystem II (ΦPSII; four), SPAD (three) and the specific leaf area (SLA; three). The relevance of seedling QTLs for ΦPSII, SPAD and SLA for yield formation is emphasized by seven collocations (bins 5.01, 7.03, 8.05) with QTLs for kernel number and grain yield under field conditions. QTLs for SPAD at the V2 and at the reproductive stage did not collocate, indicating differences in the genetic control of SPAD at different growth stages. Knowing which loci affect SLA, SPAD and ΦPSII simultaneously and which do not will help to optimize light harvest by the canop

Mapa genético saturado de microssatélite: caminhando para uma cobertura genômica em uma população de milho tropical (Zea mays L.)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Dense molecular genetic maps are used for an efficient quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and in the marker-assisted selection programs. A dense genetic map was generated with 139 microsatellite markers using 256 F2 plants generated by the crossing of two tropical maize inbred lines (L-02-03D and L-20-01F). This map presented 1,858.61 cM in length, where 10 linkage groups were found spanned, with an average interval of 13.47 cM between adjacent markers. Seventy seven percent of the maize genetic mapping bins were covered, which means an increase of 14% coverage in relation to the previous tropical maize maps. The results provide a more detailed and informative genetic map in a tropical maize population representing the first step to make possible the studies of genetic architecture to identify and map QTL and estimate their effects on the variation of quantitative traits, thus allowing the manipulation and use in tropical maize breeding programs.Mapas genéticos saturados são utilizados para um eficiente mapeamento de caracteres de interesse agronômico (QTL) e nos programas de seleção assistida. Este trabalho gerou um mapa genético saturado utilizando 139 marcadores moleculares do tipo microssatélites em 256 plantas F2 geradas pelo cruzamento de duas linhagens de milho tropical (L-02-03D e L-20-01F). O mapa obtido teve uma extensão total de 1.858,61 cM, ao longo de 10 grupos de ligação, com intervalo médio entre os marcadores de 13,47 cM. Setenta e nove percento dos "bins" do mapa genético de milho foram cobertos, com um acréscimo de 14% de cobertura em relação aos mapas de milho publicados. Os resultados mostram um mapa genético mais detalhado e informativo em uma população de milho tropical representando uma primeira etapa que possibilitará desenvolver estudos da arquitetura genética para a identificação e mapeamento de QTL e a estimativa de seus efeitos sobre a variação de um caráter quantitativo, permitindo assim a sua manipulação e utilização em programas de melhoramento do milho.323499508Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)CNPq_BrasilFAPESP_Brasi