Can we improve the chilling tolerance of maize photosynthesis through breeding?
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Publication Date
2022-02-10Journal Title
J Exp Bot
ISSN
0022-0957
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Type
Article
This Version
AM
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Burnett, A., & Kromdijk, J. (2022). Can we improve the chilling tolerance of maize photosynthesis through breeding?. J Exp Bot https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erac045
Abstract
Chilling tolerance is necessary for crops to thrive in temperate regions where cold snaps and lower baseline temperatures place limits on life processes; this is particularly true for crops of tropical origin such as maize. Photosynthesis is often adversely affected by chilling stress, yet the maintenance of photosynthesis is essential for healthy growth and development, and most crucially for yield. In this review we describe the physiological basis for enhancing chilling tolerance of photosynthesis in maize by examining nine key responses to chilling stress. We synthesise current knowledge of genetic variation for photosynthetic chilling tolerance in maize with respect to each of these traits and summarise the extent to which genetic mapping and candidate genes have been used to understand the genomic regions underpinning chilling tolerance. Finally, we provide perspectives on the future of breeding for photosynthetic chilling tolerance in maize. We advocate for holistic and high-throughput approaches to screen for chilling tolerance of photosynthesis in research and breeding programmes in order to develop resilient crops for the future.
Sponsorship
MR/T042737/1
Funder references
MRC (MR/T042737/1)
Embargo Lift Date
2023-02-10
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erac045
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/333582
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