Ivy Chen

Cuixi Biotechnology Research Institute of the Agricultural Research Center, Zhuji, 311800, China
Author    Correspondence author
Genomics and Applied Biology, 2024, Vol. 15, No. 1   doi: 10.5376/gab.2024.15.0003
Received: 22 Nov., 2023    Accepted: 25 Dec., 2023    Published: 07 Jan., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Chen I., 2024, Genome-wide association studies of disease resistance genes in maize, Genomics and Applied Biology, 15(1): 12-21 (doi: 10.5376/gab.2024.15.0003)

Corn occupies a core position in global food production, but its yield and quality are seriously threatened by a variety of diseases. Genome-wide association studie (GWAS), as a powerful genetic analysis tool, provides a new way to reveal the genetic basis of disease resistance traits in maize. This study reviews the application of GWAS in corn disease resistance research, from theoretical basis to practical cases, and discusses in detail the key disease resistance genes identified through GWAS and their potential applications in breeding. We review the principles of GWAS methods and the progress made in corn disease resistance research, including the successful identification of key genes or gene regions related to southern corn rust, corn leaf spot, and corn cob rot. Furthermore, challenges and future directions in translating these findings into practical breeding strategies are discussed. This study aims to provide scientific basis and new ideas for improving corn disease resistance and further promote the cultivation of highly disease-resistant corn varieties to meet global food security challenges.

Maize (Zea mays); Genome-wide association studies (GWAS); Disease resistance; Breeding; Genetic studies