Elements of genotype-environment interaction: genetic components of the photoperiod response in maize

摘要

Genotype-environment interaction remains one of the major sources of vexation and opportunity in plant improvement. Identification of the primary genetic and environmental determinants of the numerous interactions will be a step forward for plantimprovement programmes. Contemporary biological and information sciences are beginning to provide the foundation necessary to conduct studies that link genes with phenotypes and responses to denned signals from the environment. The centre of origin and diversity of maize (Zea mays L.) is in the tropics, but the crop is planted between 58 deg N and 40 deg S latitude (Hallauer and Miranda, 1981). Maize has a short-day photoperiod response and has adequate allelic variation to effectively convert the photoperiod response to day neutrality. Photoperiod sensitivity limits the evaluation and exchange of germ-plasm between temperate and tropical breeding programmes. Therefore, maize genetic diversity has not been well exploited. In temperate maize, less than 4 percent originates from tropical or exotic germ-plasm (Darrah and Zuber, 1985).