Genetic analysis of high amylose content in maize (Zea mays L.) using a triploid endosperm model

Traditionally, high amylose starch (HAS) from maize (Zeamays L.) has been mainly used as an ingredient in gum candies and as an adhesive for corrugated cardboard. Two recent advances have increased interest in the use of HAS. The first one has been the development of starch-based biodegradable thermo plastics. Second, high amylose maize is a source of resistant starch (RS), a type of starch that resists digestion. As a food additive, consumers can benefit from added RS since it will lower the glycemic index and the risk of colon cancer in accordance with recent research in food science. Normal maize has about 25% amylose starch. A maize inbred line, GEMS-0067 (Reg. no GP-550, PI 643420) possesses high amylose modifier gene(s) that, together with the recessive amylose extender (ae) gene, raises the starch amylose percentage to at least 70%. The objective of this study was to determine the gene effects, non-allelic interactions and heritability of high amylose content in maize using Bogyo’s triploid model. Nine populations were derived from a cross between H99ae, a maize inbred line with 55% amylose starch, and GEMS-0067. Data were collected from two locations in Missouri (MO) and South Dakota (SD) over 2 years (2005 and 2006). Incomplete dominance explained some of the inheritance of HAS. Maternal effects were also detected. The triploid models for MO and SD were separately established based on the corresponding data in 2005 and 2006. The additive and type 1 dominance effects in MO, and the additive, type 1 dominance, type 2 dominance, and additive × additive in SD were significantly different from zero meaning that those effects played an important role in amylose synthesis. Both broad-sense and narrow-sense heritabilities were high indicating that high amylose content could be effectively selected for in a segregating population.