Collection
Maize Genetics, Genomics and Sustainable Improvement
Maize, or corn, is the most highly produced crop worldwide, with a global production output of more than 1.1 billion tons in 2020. This is almost double the global production of rice, and more than wheat, barley, and other grains combined. This high level of production provides grain for diverse purposes, not only food, but also animal feed, biofuels, and industrial raw materials. While the USA is a major producer, maize is truly a global crop, with significant production in China, Europe, South America, and other areas. In the USA, where large-scale corn production started, yield has increased around six-fold since the 1930s. This has been achieved through a number of innovations, particularly the application of heterosis or hybrid vigor, breeding for increased yield, and improved agronomic practices. Despite these major advances, there is an urgent need to maintain productivity in the face of climate change, and also to improve the sustainability of agriculture by improving yield while reducing energy intensive inputs.
This Maize Genetics, Genomics and Sustainable Improvement special issue focused on maize genetics, genomics, and sustainable improvement. Eleven papers are published in this issue, with the aim to provide future insights into maize developmental biology, the genetic basis of yield-traits, the genetic basis of abiotic and biotic stress tolerance, and breeding technology.
Editors
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David Jackson
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
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Feng Tian
State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, National Maize Improvement Center of China, and Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
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Zuxin Zhang
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
Articles (12 in this collection)
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Genetic dissection of maize disease resistance and its applications in molecular breeding
Authors (first, second and last of 4)
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CRISPR-Cas technology in corn: a new key to unlock genetic knowledge and create novel products
Authors
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