Assessing the success of breeding maize inbred lines with contrasting diferulate concentrations

Abstract Background The crosslinking of maize cell wall components, particularly mediated by the formation of ferulic acid dimers or diferulates, has been associated with important crop valorization traits such as increased pest resistance, lower forage digestibility, or reduced bioethanol productio...

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Main Authors: Ana López-Malvar, Rosa Ana Malvar, Ana Butrón, Xose Carlos Souto, Rogelio Santiago
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-01-01
Series:BMC Plant Biology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-024-05990-w
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author Ana López-Malvar
Rosa Ana Malvar
Ana Butrón
Xose Carlos Souto
Rogelio Santiago
author_facet Ana López-Malvar
Rosa Ana Malvar
Ana Butrón
Xose Carlos Souto
Rogelio Santiago
author_sort Ana López-Malvar
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The crosslinking of maize cell wall components, particularly mediated by the formation of ferulic acid dimers or diferulates, has been associated with important crop valorization traits such as increased pest resistance, lower forage digestibility, or reduced bioethanol production. However, these relationships were based on studies performed using diverse unrelated inbred lines and/or populations, so genetic background could interfere on these associations. Results In the present research, the success of a pedigree selection program aimed to obtain inbred lines from a common antecessor with contrasting diferulate concentration was evaluated. From the 10 inbreds lines developed we could validate the success of the breeding program, obtaining 4 inbred lines with significant contrating values of total diferulate content in the pith tissues (two of each group): high (X̅= 0.69 mg/g of DW) and low (X̅= 0.35 mg/g). Ferulate changes in the same way were also observed: high (X̅= 3.09 mg/g of DW) and low (X̅= 1.62 mg/g). On the other hand, we found strong and positive correlations between DFAT and individual dimers, and moderate negative correlations between total DFAT and a main cell wall component such as cellulose. However, we did not find a significant effect of DFAT on maize valorization traits, except of a negative effect of DFAT on the concentration of sugars released after the enzimatic hydrolysis of the pith tissues. Interestingly, increasing DFAT in the pith does not seem to affect the digestibility of the forage or the saccharification of the stover residue, highlighting that changes in a specific tissue do not encompass correlated changes in other resources. Conclusions Overall, we have obtained contrasting inbred lines with diferulates concentration, which could be uselful in further studies focussing in the identification of regions/genes predominantly involved in the hydroxycinnamate biosynthesis pathway and cell wall crosslinking network.
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spelling doaj-art-473ecfb973a9474fb5c887d5af5e8aa52025-08-20T02:36:30ZengBMCBMC Plant Biology1471-22292025-01-0125111210.1186/s12870-024-05990-wAssessing the success of breeding maize inbred lines with contrasting diferulate concentrationsAna López-Malvar0Rosa Ana Malvar1Ana Butrón2Xose Carlos Souto3Rogelio Santiago4Facultad de Biología, Depto. Biología Vegetal Y Ciencias del Suelo, Agrobiología Ambiental, Calidad de Suelos y Plantas (UVIGO), Unidad Asociada a MBG (CSIC), Universidad de VigoMisión Biológica de Galicia (CSIC), Depto. Producción VegetalMisión Biológica de Galicia (CSIC), Depto. Producción VegetalFacultad de Biología, Depto. Biología Vegetal Y Ciencias del Suelo, Agrobiología Ambiental, Calidad de Suelos y Plantas (UVIGO), Unidad Asociada a MBG (CSIC), Universidad de VigoMisión Biológica de Galicia (CSIC), Depto. Producción VegetalAbstract Background The crosslinking of maize cell wall components, particularly mediated by the formation of ferulic acid dimers or diferulates, has been associated with important crop valorization traits such as increased pest resistance, lower forage digestibility, or reduced bioethanol production. However, these relationships were based on studies performed using diverse unrelated inbred lines and/or populations, so genetic background could interfere on these associations. Results In the present research, the success of a pedigree selection program aimed to obtain inbred lines from a common antecessor with contrasting diferulate concentration was evaluated. From the 10 inbreds lines developed we could validate the success of the breeding program, obtaining 4 inbred lines with significant contrating values of total diferulate content in the pith tissues (two of each group): high (X̅= 0.69 mg/g of DW) and low (X̅= 0.35 mg/g). Ferulate changes in the same way were also observed: high (X̅= 3.09 mg/g of DW) and low (X̅= 1.62 mg/g). On the other hand, we found strong and positive correlations between DFAT and individual dimers, and moderate negative correlations between total DFAT and a main cell wall component such as cellulose. However, we did not find a significant effect of DFAT on maize valorization traits, except of a negative effect of DFAT on the concentration of sugars released after the enzimatic hydrolysis of the pith tissues. Interestingly, increasing DFAT in the pith does not seem to affect the digestibility of the forage or the saccharification of the stover residue, highlighting that changes in a specific tissue do not encompass correlated changes in other resources. Conclusions Overall, we have obtained contrasting inbred lines with diferulates concentration, which could be uselful in further studies focussing in the identification of regions/genes predominantly involved in the hydroxycinnamate biosynthesis pathway and cell wall crosslinking network.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-024-05990-wCell wallDivergent selectionDiferulatesCrosslinkingBioethanol forage digestibility pest resistance
spellingShingle Ana López-Malvar
Rosa Ana Malvar
Ana Butrón
Xose Carlos Souto
Rogelio Santiago
Assessing the success of breeding maize inbred lines with contrasting diferulate concentrations
BMC Plant Biology
Cell wall
Divergent selection
Diferulates
Crosslinking
Bioethanol forage digestibility pest resistance
title Assessing the success of breeding maize inbred lines with contrasting diferulate concentrations
title_full Assessing the success of breeding maize inbred lines with contrasting diferulate concentrations
title_fullStr Assessing the success of breeding maize inbred lines with contrasting diferulate concentrations
title_full_unstemmed Assessing the success of breeding maize inbred lines with contrasting diferulate concentrations
title_short Assessing the success of breeding maize inbred lines with contrasting diferulate concentrations
title_sort assessing the success of breeding maize inbred lines with contrasting diferulate concentrations
topic Cell wall
Divergent selection
Diferulates
Crosslinking
Bioethanol forage digestibility pest resistance
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-024-05990-w
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