Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Identification of genetic loci conferring partial resistance to southern corn rust through a genome-wide association study

  • Published:
European Journal of Plant Pathology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Southern corn rust (SCR), a fungal disease caused by Puccinia polysora Underw., can result in severe yield loss in maize (Zea mays L.). Identification of resistant germplasms and understanding the genetic basis of resistance would aid maize disease-resistant breeding. In this study, 253 maize inbred lines were used to evaluate the resistance to SCR at two locations in China from 2015 to 2016. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using the Maize SNP3K Beadchip. Based on mixed linear model, seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with partial resistance to SCR were identified at P < 1.77 × 10−5, including three SNPs aligned with previously reported genomic regions. A significant correlation (R2 = 0.76) between partial resistance to SCR and the number of resistant alleles was observed. Several highly resistant germplasms harboring resistant alleles were identified, such as, ‘43.7’, ‘DH02’, ‘Zheng39’, ‘T2’ and ‘JH3372’. This research will increase our understanding of the genetic basis of partial resistance to SCR and provide important guidance for SCR resistance breeding.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agarwal, P., Khetarpal, R. K., & Payak, M. M. (2001). Polysora rust of maize caused by Puccinia polysora. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 71, 275–276.

  • Ali, F., & Yan, J. B. (2012). Disease resistance in maize and the role of molecular breeding in defending against global threat. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology, 54(3), 134–151.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bradbury, P. J., Zhang, Z., Kroon, D. E., Casstevens, T. M., Ramdoss, Y., & Buckler, E. S. (2007). TASSEL: software for association mapping of complex traits in diverse samples. Bioinformatics, 23, 2633–2635.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brewbaker, J. L., Kim, S. K., So, Y. S., Logrono, M., Moon, H. G., Ming, R. G., Lu, X. W., & Josue, A. D. (2011). General resistance in maize to southern rust (Puccinia polysora Underw.) Crop Science, 51, 1393–1409.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brunelli, K. R., Silva, H. P., & Aranha-Camargo, L. E. (2002). Mapping of resistance gene to Puccinia polysora in maize. Fitopatologia Brasileira, 27, 134–140.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chavezmedina, J. A., Leyvalopez, N. E., & Pataky, J. K. (2007). Resistance to Puccinia polysora in Maize Accessions. Plant Disease, 91, 1489–1495.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C., Wang, Z., Yang, D., Ye, C., Zhao, Y., Jin, D., Weng, M., & Wang, B. (2004). Molecular tagging and genetic mapping of the disease resistance gene RppQ to southern corn rust. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 108, 945–950.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dolezal, W., Tiwari, K., Kemerait, R., Kichler, J., Sapp, P., & Pataky, J. (2009). An unusual occurrence of southern rust caused by Rpp9-virulent Puccinia polysora, on corn in southwestern Georgia. Plant Disease, 93, 676.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duan, D. R., & He, H. Z. (1984). Description of a rust Puccinia polysora on corn in Hainan Island. Acta Mycologica Sinica, 3, 125–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganal, M. W., Durstewitz, G., Polley, A., Berard, A., Buckler, E. S., Charcosset, A., Clarke, J. D., Graner, E.-M., Hansen, M., & Joets, J. (2011). A larger maize (Zea mays L.) SNP genotyping array: development and germplasm genotyping, and genetic mapping to compare with B73 reference genome. PLoS One, 6, e28334.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Guo, L. Y., Guo, W., Zhao, H. W., Wang, J. G., Liu, H. L., Sun, J., Zheng, H. L., Sha, H. J., & Zou, D. T. (2015). Association mapping and resistant alleles’ analysis for japonica rice blast resistance. Plant Breeding, 134, 646–652.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gyawali, S., Harrington, M., Durkin, J., Horner, K., Parkin, I. A. P., Hegedus, D. D., Bekkaoui, D., & Buchwaldt, L. (2016). Microsatellite markers used for genome-wide association mapping of partial resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in a world collection of Brassica napus. Molecular Breeding, 36, 1–13.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hallauer, A. R., Carena, M. J., & Filho, J. B. M. (2010). Quantitative genetics in maize breeding (6th ed.). Iowa: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hao, D. R., Cheng, Y. J., Chen, G. Q., Lu, H. H., Shi, M. L., Zhang, Z. L., Huang, X. L., Mao, Y. X., & Xue, L. (2015). Identification of significant single nucleotide polymorphisms for resistance to maize rough dwarf disease in elite maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines. Euphytica, 203, 109–120.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holland, J. B., Uhr, D. V., Jeffers, D., & Goodman, M. M. (1998). Inheritance of resistance to southern corn rust in tropical-by-corn-belt maize populations. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 96, 232–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang, J. C., Edmeades, G. Q., Armstead, I., LaWtte, H. R., Hayward, M. D., & Hoisington, D. (1999). Genetic analysis of adaptation differences between highland and lowland tropical maize using molecular markers. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 99, 1106–1119.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang, K., Du, Q., Qin, Z. H., Chen, M. G., & Li, S. C. (2013). Identification of resistance to southern corn rust (Puccinia polysora Underw.) in maize germplasm. Journal of Plant Genetical Research, 14, 711–714.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jines, M. P., Balint-Kurti, P., Robertson-Hoyt, L. A., Molnar, T., Holland, J. B., & Goodman, M. M. (2007). Mapping resistance to southern rust in a tropical by temperate maize recombinant inbred top cross population. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 114, 659–667.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keller, B., Feuillet, C., & Messmer, M. (2001). Genetics of disease resistance. Kluwar Academic. Dordrecht: Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitti, K., Jetsada, A., Apochat, V., & Somvomg, T. (2013). QTL mapping for partial resistance to southern corn rust using RILs of tropical sweet corn. American Journal of Plant Disease, 4, 878–889.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lande, R., & Thompson, R. (1990). Efficiency of marker-assisted selection in the improvement of quantitative traits. Genetics, 124, 743–756.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Li, Z. M., Chen, J. F., Han, L. P., Wen, J. J., Chen, G. S., Li, H. M., Wang, Y. X., Zhao, R. B., Zhang, X. H., Xia, Z. L., Yan, J. B., Wu, J. Y., & Ding, J. Q. (2016). Association mapping resolving the major loci Scmv2 conferring resistance to sugarcane mosaic virus in maize. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 145, 385–391.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lindhout, P. (2002). The perspectives of polygenic resistance in breeding for durable disease resistance. Euphytica, 124, 217–226.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, Y., Shi, J., & Wang, Q. (1999). Southern corn rust occurred in Hebei Province in 1998. Plant Protection, 25, 53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, C. L., Weng, J. F., Zhang, D. G., Zhang, X. C., Yang, X. Y., Shi, L. Y., Meng, Q. C., Yuan, J. H., Guo, X. P., Hao, Z. F., Xie, C. X., Li, M. S., Ci, X. K., Bai, L., Li, X. H., & Zhang, S. H. (2014). Genome-wide association study of resistance to rough dwarf disease in maize. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 139, 205–216.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Massman, J., Cooper, B., Horsley, R., Neate, S., Dill-Macky, R., Chao, S., Dong, Y., Schwarz, P., Muehlbauer, G. J., & Smith, K. P. (2011). Genome-wide association mapping of Fusarium head blight resistance in contemporary barley breeding germplasm. Molecular Breeding, 27, 439–454.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melchinger, A. E., Utz, H. F., & Schon, C. C. (1998). Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping using different testers and independent population samples in maize reveals low power of QTL detection and large bias in estimates of QTL effects. Genetics, 149, 383–403.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ogura, T., & Busch, W. (2015). From phenotypes to causal sequences: using genome wide association studies to dissect the sequence basis for variation of plant development. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 23, 98–108.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Parlevliet, J. E. (2002). Durability of resistance against fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens; present situation. Euphytica, 124, 147–156.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Raid, R. N., Pennypacker, S. P., & Stevenson, R. E. (1988). Characterization of Puccinia polysora epidemics in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Phytopathology, 78, 579–585.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robert, A. L. (1962). Host ranges and races of corn rusts. Phytopathology, 52, 1010–1012.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigues-Ardon, R., Scott, G. E., & Hennen, J. F. (1980). Maize yield losses caused by southern corn rust. Crop Science, 20, 812–814.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scott, G. E., & Zummo, N. (1989). Effect of genes with slow-rusting characteristics on southern corn rust in maize. Plant Disease, 73, 114–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scott, G. E., King, S. B., & Armour, J. W. (1984). Inheritance of resistance to southern corn rust in maize populations. Crop Science, 24, 265–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shi, L. Y., Lv, X. L., Weng, J. F., Zhu, H. Y., Liu, C. L., Hao, Z. F., Zhou, Y., Zhang, D. G., Li, M. S., Ci, X. K., Li, X. H., & Zhang, S. H. (2014). Genetic characterization and linkage disequilibrium mapping of resistance to gray leaf spot in maize (Zea mays L.) Crop Journal, 2, 132–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Storey, H. H., & Howland, A. K. (1957). Resistance in maize to the tropical American rust fungus, Puccinia polysora Underw. I. Genes Rpp1 and Rpp2. Heredity, 11, 289–301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Storey, H. H., & Howland, A. K. (1967). Resistance in maize to a third East African race of Puccinia polysora Underw. The Annals of Applied Biology, 60, 297–303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ullstrup, A. J. (1965). Inheritance and linkage of a gene determining resistance in maize to an American race of Puccinia polysora. Phytopathology, 55, 425–428.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, S. C. (1999). Southern corn rust was epidemic in the Province of Shandong, Henan and Jiangsu. Plant Protection Technology and Disability, 3, 40–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, C. H., Yang, X. L., Yuan, X. P., Xu, Q., Feng, Y., Yu, H. Y., Wang, Y. P., & Wei, X. H. (2014). Genome-wide association study of blast resistance in indica rice. BMC Plant Biology, 14, 311.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, X. J., Li, N., Zhao, P. F., He, Y., & Wang, S. C. (2015). Geographic and genetic identification of RppS, a novel locus conferring broad resistance to southern corn rust disease in China. Euphytica, 205, 17–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yan, J. B., Warburton, M., & Crouch, J. (2011). Association mapping for enhancing maize genetic improvement. Crop Science, 51, 1–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, J. M., & Buckler, E. S. (2006). Genetic association mapping and genome organization of maize. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 17, 155–160.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, J. M., Pressoir, G., Briggs, W. H., Vroh Bi, I., Yamasaki, M., Doebley, J. F., McMullen, M. D., Gaut, B. S., Nielsen, D. M., Holland, J. B., Kresovich, S., & Buckler, E. S. (2006). A unified mixed-model method for association mapping that accounts for multiple levels of relatedness. Nature Genetics, 38, 203–208.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, Y., Xu, L., Zhang, D., Dai, J., & Wang, S. (2010). Mapping of southern corn rust-resistant genes in the W2D inbred line of maize (Zea mays L.) Molecular Breeding, 25, 433–439.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, P., Zhang, G., Wu, X., Li, N., Shi, D., Zhang, D., Ji, G., Xu, M., & Wang, S. (2013). Fine mapping of RppP25, a southern rust resistance gene in maize. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology, 55, 462–472.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, C. J., Chen, C. X., Cao, P. X., Wu, W. S., Sun, J. W., Jin, D. M., & Wang, B. (2007). Characterization and fine mapping of RppQ, a resistance gene to southern corn in maize. Molecular Genetics and Genomics, 278, 723–728.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, G. F., Hao, D. R., Chen, G. Q., Lu, H. H., Shi, M. L., Mao, Y. X., Zhang, Z. L., Huang, X. L., & Xue, L. (2016). Genome-wide association study of the husk number and weight in maize (Zea mays L.) Euphytica, 210, 195–205.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Six Major Talent Project of Jiangsu Province, China (2014-NY-032); the Scientific and Technological Project of Nantong City, China (MS12015086); and the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China, (BK20171252, BK20141241).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Guangfei Zhou and Derong Hao contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jiangsu Yanjiang Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Nantong, 226541, China

    Guangfei Zhou, Derong Hao, Yuxiang Mao, Guoqing Chen, Huhua Lu, Mingliang Shi, Xiaolan Huang, Zhenliang Zhang, Junyu Zhao & Lin Xue

  2. Jiangsu Nantong Crop Cultivation Technique Direction Station, Nantong, 226006, China

    Qiuli Zhu

  3. Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing, 210095, China

    Guoqing Chen & Lin Xue

Authors
  1. Guangfei Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Derong Hao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yuxiang Mao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Qiuli Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Guoqing Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Huhua Lu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Mingliang Shi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Xiaolan Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Zhenliang Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Junyu Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Lin Xue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lin Xue.

Ethics declarations

The authors declare no ethical standards have been violated in the course of the study.

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Electronic supplementary material

Fig. S1

Manhattan (left) and quartile-quartile (right) plots of GWAS results for partial resistance to SCR in four environments. (a), (b), (c) and (d) represent the results of the environments of SY_2015, NT_2015, SY_2016 and NT_2016, respectively (GIF 57 kb)

High Resolution Image (TIFF 2380 kb)

Table S1

(PDF 342 kb)

Table S2

(PDF 20 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhou, G., Hao, D., Mao, Y. et al. Identification of genetic loci conferring partial resistance to southern corn rust through a genome-wide association study. Eur J Plant Pathol 150, 1083–1090 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-017-1351-1

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-017-1351-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation