Genomics assisted improvement of drought tolerance in maize: QTL approaches

Abstract

Drought is a worldwide phenomenon and is a major production constraint, reducing crop yields. The extent of climate change over the next 20 years and its impact are difficult to predict but it is essential to put research in place now that will be needed in the longer term. Maize is the third most important source of calories for humankind after rice and wheat. Most of the total world maize is grown under rainfed conditions, and maize is more susceptible to drought than all other cereals excluding rice. The unpredictability of drought, geographically and across seasons, has emphasized the importance of drought tolerance as a maize breeding objective. The present paper will overview both conventional breeding and QTL/MAS approaches towards improvement of maize yield in drought-prone environments and will briefly describe a QTL approach taken in the frame of the NSFB funded project DO02-105 "Centre for sustainable development of plant and animal genomics".