The present study expands metabolomic assessments of maize beyond commercial lines to include two sets of hybrids used extensively in the scientific community. One set included hybrids derived from the nested association mapping (NAM) founder lines, a collection of 25 inbreds selected on the basis of genetic diversity and used to investigate the genetic basis of complex plant traits. A second s...

As maize was domesticated in Mexico around 9,000 years ago, local farmers have selected and maintained seed stocks with particular traits and adapted to local conditions. In the present day, many of these landraces are still cultivated; however, increased urbanization and migration from rural areas implies a risk that this invaluable maize germplasm may be lost. In order to implement an efficie...

Discerning the genetic diversity of any crop species provides insight into the strength of an applied breeding program and directs future breeding strategies aimed at long-term genetic gain and minimized genetic vulnerability. The number and abundance of ancestral parents present in the pedigree of crop cultivars can provide an average estimation of the depth of the genetic base of the overall ...

In a large number of plant species, including maize, different phenotypic traits have undergone major changes through the breeding process, resulting in creation varieties and hybrids good agronomic performance. This study aimed to examine variability height (PH) uppermost ear (EH) maize top cross obtained from crossing 31 local landraces with three genetically divergent testers (L217, L73B013 ...