Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Hybridization of maize and teosinte, in mexico and guatemala and the improvement of maize

  • Published:
Economic Botany Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The recognition and subsequent detection of the importance of teosinte introgression in the racial diversity and heterotic gene architecture of maize has been one of the outstanding achievements of Paul C. Mangelsdorf’s investigations into the origin of maize. This paper documents three areas in Mexico and Guatemala where maize and teosinte hybridize and where there is a system by which native cultivators exploit the heterotic nature of maize to increase their harvest. There is little reason to doubt that the hybridization and subsequent introgression of teosinte genes into maize observed at these sites is changed from that which has occurred over the past three thousand years resulting in the tremendous diversity and pronounced hybrid vigor in maize.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  • Anderson, E. 1944. The Sources of effective germplasm in hybrid maize. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 31:355–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • —. 1946. Maize in Mexico—a preliminary survey. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 33:147–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • —, and W. Brown. 1952. The history of the common maize varieties of the United States corn belt. Agricultural History 26:2–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, and L. O. Williams. 1954. Maize and sorghum as a mixed crop in Honduras. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 41:213–221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balint, A., A. Kovacs, and K. Jelenits. 1958. The part played byEuchlaena mexicana in quantitatively and qualitatively improving the protein content of maize. Novenytermeles 7:235–248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beadle, G. W. 1972. The mystery of maize. Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin 43:2–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, W. 1967. Results of non-selective inbreeding in Maize. Der Zuchter 37:155–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, and P. C. Mangelsdorf. 1951. The effect on yield and morphology of the addition of teosinte germplasm to maize. Genetics 36:544 (Abst.)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bukasov, S. 1930. The cultivated plants of Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia. Bull. Appl. Botany, Genetics and Plant Breeding, Supplement 47, Leningrad.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaganti, R. S. K. 1965. Cytogenetic studies of maize-Tripsacum hybrids and their derivatives. Bussey Inst. of Harvard Univ., Cambridge, Mass. 93 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, J. 1956. Collection, preservation and utilization of indigenous strains of maize. J. Econ. Bot. 10:194–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins, G. 1921. Teosinte in Mexico. J. Heredity 12:339–350.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cutler, H. C, and E. Anderson. 1941. A preliminary survey of the genusTripsacum. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 28:249–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Wet, J. M. J., L. M. Engle, C. A. Grant, and S. T. Tanaka. 1972. Cytology ofmaize-Tripsacum introgression. Am. J. Bot. 59:1026–1029.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • —, and J. R. Harlan. 1972. Origin of maize: the tripartite hypothesis. Euphytica 21:271–279.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • —, and C. A. Grant. 1971. Origin and evolution of teosinteZea mexicana (Schrad) Kuntze. Euphytica 20:255–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • —, L. M. Engle, and C. A. Grant. 1973. Breeding behavior of maize-Tripsacum hybrids. Crop Science 13:254–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • —, R. J. Lambert, and L. M. Engle. 1972. Introgression fromTripsacum intoZea and the origin of maize. Caryologia 25:25–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flannery, K., and J. Schoenwelter. 1970. Archaeology 23:144–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galinat, W., P. C. Mangelsdorf, and L. Pierson. 1956. view of Genetics 5:447–478.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1973a. Intergenomic mapping of maize, teosinte andTripsacum. Evolution 27:644–656.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • —. 1973b. Preserve Guatemala Teosinte, a relic link in corn’s evolution. Science 180:323.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • —. 1974. The domestication and genetic erosion of maize. Econ. Bot. 28:31–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galinat, W., P. C. Mangelsdorf, and L. Pierson. 1956. Estimates of teosinte introgression in archaeological maize. Bot. Mus. Leafl. 17:101–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, and R. J. Ruppe. 1961. Further archaeological evidence on the effects of teosinte introgression in the evolution of modern maize. Bot. Mus. Leafl. 19: 163–181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grobman, A., A. Salhuana, and R. Sevilla (in collaboration with Paul C. Mangelsdorf). 1961. Races of maize in Peru. Nat. Acad. Sc/Nat Res. Coun. Publication 915. 374 pp.

  • Hallauer, A., and J. Sears. 1972. Integrating exotic germplasm into corn belt maize breeding programs. Crop Science 12:203–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. R. Harlan, J. M. J. de Wet, and E. G. Price. 1973. Comparative evolution of cereals. Evolution 27:311–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harshberger, J. 1892. Maize, a botanical and economic study. Contr. Bot. Lab. Univ. Pa. 1:75–202.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1896. Fertile crosses of teosinte and maize. Garden and Forest 9:522–523.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hernandez-X, E. 1970. Exploracion Ethnobotanica y Su Metodologia. Colegio de Postgraduados Escuela Nacional de Agricultura Mexico. 69 pp.

  • —, and G. Alanis-Flores. 1971. Estudio Morpologico de Cinco Nuevas Razas de Maiz de la Sierra Madre Occidental de Mexico: Implicaciones Filogeneticas y Fitogeograficas. Agrociencia 5:3–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Iltis, H. H. 1972. The taxonomy ofZea mays (Gramineae). Phytologia 23:248–249.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1972. The extinction of species and the destruction of ecosystems. Am. Bio. Teacher 34:201–205.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kempton, J. H. 1926. Maize and man. J. of Heredity 17:32–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • -. 1938. Maize—our heritage from the indian. Smithsonian Report for 1937:385-408 (with 30 plates).

  • —, and W. Popenoe. 1937. Teosinte in Guatemala; a report of an expedition to Guatemala, El Salvador and Chipas, Mexico. Carnegie Inst. Publ. 483:199–217.

    Google Scholar 

  • Linn, A. 1973. Corn; the New World’s secret weapon and the builder of its civilization. Smithsonian 4:58–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopez y Para, R. 1908. El Teosinte, Mexico. 20 pp. Lumholtz, C. 1902. Unknown Mexico. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York. Vol I. 530 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mangelsdorf, P. C. 1947. The origin and evolution of maize. Adv. Genetics 1:161–207.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • —. 1958. The mutagenic effects of hybridizing maize and teosinte. Cold Spring Harbor. Symp. Quant. Biol. 23:409–421.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • —. 1961. Introgression in maize. Euphytica 10:157–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1966. Genetic potentials for increasing yields of food crops and animals. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 56:370–375.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • —, R. S. MacNeish, and W. C. Galinat. 1964. Domestication of corn. Science 143:538–545.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • —, and R. Lister. 1956. Archaeological evidence on the evolution of maize in northwestern Mexico. Bot. Mus. Leafl. 17:151–178.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, and R. G. Reeves. 1931. Hybridization of maize,Tripsacum andEuchlaena. J. Heredity 28:329–343.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1939. The origin of Indian Corn and its relatives. Texas Agr. Exp. Bull. No. 547:1–315.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, and C. Smith. 1949. New archaeological evidence on evolution in maize. Bot. Mus. Leafl. 13:213–247.

    Google Scholar 

  • Randolph, L. F. 1955. History and origin of corn. In: Corn and Corn Improvement. Academic Press, N.Y. 17–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1970. Variation amongTripsacum populations of Mexico and Guatemala. Brittonia 22:305–337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez, A. E. 1962. El Achaparramiento del Maiz en Mexico. Sobretiro del Informe de le 7a Reunion del Projecto Cooperativo Centroamericano para el Mejoramiento del Maiz. Pp. 77–84.

  • Sehgal, S. M. 1963. Effects of teosinte andTripsacum introgression in maize. Bussey Inst. Harvard Univ., Cambridge, Mass, iii + 63 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, S. 1891. Contributions to American botany. (3) Upon a wild species ofZea from Mexico. A.A.A.S. Proc. 26:158–161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weatherwax, P. 1954. India Corn in Old America. MacMillan Co., New York. 253 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellhausen, E. J., A. Fuentes-O, A. Hernandez-Corao (en colaboracion con P. C. Mangelsdorf). 1957. Razas de-Maiz en la America Central. Folleto Tecnico No. 31 Sec. de Argicultura y Ganaderia, Mexico.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, L. M. Roberts, and E. Hernandez-Xolocotzi (in collaboration with P. C. Mangelsdorf). 1952. Races of maize in Mexico. Bussey Inst. of Harvard Univ., Cambridge, Mass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilkes, H. G. 1963. Field studies on teosinte in Mexico. Maize Genetics Coop. Newsletter 37:38–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1964. Teosinte in Mexico and Central America. Maize Genetics Coop. Newsletter 38:136–138.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1965a. Teosinte populations in Nobogame Mexico. Maize Genetics Coop. Newsletter 39:71.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1965b. Seed from the Sierra Madre Occidental of Chihuahua. Maize Genetics Coop. Newsletter 39: 188.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1967. Teosinte: the closest relative of maize. The Bussey Inst. of Harvard Univ., Cambridge, Mass, iv + 159 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1968. Teosinte x maize hybrids Nobogame, Mexico. Maize Genetics Coop. Newsletter 42:165–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1969a. Field studies on hybridization and parallel variation in the wild relatives of maize in Central Mexico I. Maize Genetics Coop. Newsletter 43: 182–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • -. 1969b. Reconstruction of the habitat and distribution of wild maize.Abstracts of the papers of the XI Intern. Botanical Congress, p. 239.

  • —. 1970b. Field studies on hybridization and parallel variation in the wild relatives of maize in Central America II. Maize Genetics Coop. Newsletter 44:188–189.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1970b. Teosinte introgression in the maize of the Nobogame Valley. Bot. Mus. Leafl. 22:297–311.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1972a. Genetic erosion in Teosinte. Plant Genetic Resources FAO (Rome) No. 28:3–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1972b. Maize and its wild relatives. Science 177:1071–1077.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • —. 1973. Exploitation by native cultivators of teosinte introgression in Mexican corn fields. Contributed paper No. 183. First International Congress of Systematic and Evolutionary Biology. Boulder, Colorado.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology II, University of Massachusetts, Boston

    H. G. Wllkes

Authors
  1. H. G. Wllkes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wllkes, H.G. Hybridization of maize and teosinte, in mexico and guatemala and the improvement of maize. Econ Bot 31, 254–293 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02866877

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02866877

Keywords

Search

Navigation