PAG-I Plant Genome I Conference

Town & Country Conference Center, San Diego, CA, November, 1992.


PG-I: 97pg1

CHROMOSOME ARM DOSAGE AND QUANTITATIVE TRAITS IN MAIZE (Zea mays L.).

Elizabeth A. Lee, Ed H. Coe and Larry L. Darrah, Dept. of Agronomy and USDA-ARS, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211.


Specific chromosome arms were added or removed from standard inbred backgrounds (Mo17Ht and B73Ht) to examine how chromosome arm dosage differences (dosage effects) coupled with genotype differences (differential effects) influence the expression of 7 quantitatively inherited characters in maize. If a phenotypic change results from varying the dosage of a particular chromosome arm, then a gene (or genes) associated with the specific effect is expected to be located on that chromosome segment. Chromosome arm dosage differences (one, two or three doses) were generated using 18 different B-A translocations introgressed into either a Mo17Ht or B73Ht inbred background. Entries were assessed for plant and ear height, leaf length and width, rind puncture resistance, tassel branch number, and leaf angle. Dosage effects that are differential among particular chromosome segments have been demonstrated in this study, and possible bases behind those differences are considered.


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