MARKER-TRAIT ASSOCIATION ANALYSIS OF FUNCTION GENE MARKERS FOR CAROTENOIDS ACROSS DIVERSE MAIZE INBRED LINES

Abstract

The carotene is a very important nutrient that provides the activity of molecular and biochemical processes in cells. Therefore, the estimation of genetic determinants involved in the management of the carotene synthesis is necessary for the selection of maize. DNA markers allow to select lines with high carotenoids content in grain for breeding purposes. 110 maize lines with a high content of carotenoids in grain using DNA markers lcyε-5'TE, lcyε-SNP216, lcyε-3'INDL and crtRB1-3'TE were studied. The dynamic and carotenoid content in simple hybrids and lines were determined by the absorption spectrum of β-carotene. Carotenoid content in grain of the lines under study ranged from 0.7 to 7.15 μg/mg. The highest values of the average content of carotene were obtained in the maize lines containing favourable alleles for the marker combinations lcyɛ-SNP216+lcyɛ-3'INDL and lcyɛ-SNP216+crtRB1-3'TE. For the marker lcyε-5'TE, no favourable allele was found among the studied genotypes. With the aid of spectrometry, the dynamics of carotenoid accumulation as a function of the grain development stage. Among the lines under study, the highest carotenoid content was recorded on the 15th and 23rd days after pollination (DAP). For the genotypes involved in the study, the total content of carotenoids in hybrids was higher than in their parent components. Therefore, DNA markers lcyε-SNP216, lcyε-3'INDL and crtRB1-3'TE are informative for assessing the maize genotypes for high carotenoid content in grain.