A foundation for provitamin A biofortification of maize: genome-wide association and genomic prediction models of carotenoid levels.

ABSTRACT: Efforts are underway for development of crops with improved levels of provitamin A carotenoids to help combat dietary vitamin A deficiency. As a global staple crop with considerable variation in kernel carotenoid composition, maize (Zea mays L.) could have a widespread impact. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of quantified seed carotenoids across a panel of maize inbreds ranging from light yellow to dark orange in grain color to identify some of the key genes controlling maize grain carotenoid composition. Significant associations at the genome-wide level were detected within the coding regions of zep1 and lut1, carotenoid biosynthetic genes not previously shown to impact grain carotenoid composition in association studies, as well as within previously associated lcyE an

SUBMITTER: Owens BF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4256781 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature