Research Article

Relationship among physiological quality, heterosis, and amylase gene expression in maize seeds

Published: July 31, 2015
Genet. Mol. Res. 14 (3) : 8623-8633 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4238/2015.July.31.10
Cite this Article:
G.E. Oliveira, E.V.R. Von Pinho, T. Andrade, J.C. Souza, F. Caixeta, R.A.D.C. Ferreira (2015). Relationship among physiological quality, heterosis, and amylase gene expression in maize seeds. Genet. Mol. Res. 14(3): 8623-8633. https://doi.org/10.4238/2015.July.31.10
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Abstract

In this study, we analyzed heterosis, amylase enzyme gene expression, and the physiological quality of maize seeds with dif­ferent genotypes and sizes, which were subjected to aging and not sub­jected to aging. We used seeds from 2 maize lines that differed with regard to physiological quality, the hybrid, and the reciprocal hybrid; they were classified into 2 sizes and were subjected to aging and not subjected to aging. Physiological quality was assessed by performing tests for germination, emergence, emergence speed index, and artifi­cial aging. Expressions of the genes alpha amylase B73, alpha amylase (LOC542522), isoamylase mRNA clone 353244, and the endogenous controls ubiquitin and alcohol dehydrogenase in the seeds were studied using quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction. We observed heterosis for seed quality and for expression of amylase genes in the genotypes studied. We found no difference in seed quality between large and small seeds.

In this study, we analyzed heterosis, amylase enzyme gene expression, and the physiological quality of maize seeds with dif­ferent genotypes and sizes, which were subjected to aging and not sub­jected to aging. We used seeds from 2 maize lines that differed with regard to physiological quality, the hybrid, and the reciprocal hybrid; they were classified into 2 sizes and were subjected to aging and not subjected to aging. Physiological quality was assessed by performing tests for germination, emergence, emergence speed index, and artifi­cial aging. Expressions of the genes alpha amylase B73, alpha amylase (LOC542522), isoamylase mRNA clone 353244, and the endogenous controls ubiquitin and alcohol dehydrogenase in the seeds were studied using quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction. We observed heterosis for seed quality and for expression of amylase genes in the genotypes studied. We found no difference in seed quality between large and small seeds.