Mitigating drought-associated reproductive failure in maize: From physiological mechanisms to practical solutions
Maize serves as a crucial cereal crop globally, yet the escalating frequency of drought stress during the reproductive phase poses a significant threat to grain yield by causing an irreversible loss in kernel number. Enhancing reproductive drought tolerance in maize requires elucidating the physiolo...
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| Format: | Article |
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Crop Journal |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214514125001175 |
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| author | Zhiwei Wang Yi Yu Xiang Chen Yangyang Li Ashley Jones Ray J. Rose Yong-Ling Ruan Youhong Song |
| author_facet | Zhiwei Wang Yi Yu Xiang Chen Yangyang Li Ashley Jones Ray J. Rose Yong-Ling Ruan Youhong Song |
| author_sort | Zhiwei Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Maize serves as a crucial cereal crop globally, yet the escalating frequency of drought stress during the reproductive phase poses a significant threat to grain yield by causing an irreversible loss in kernel number. Enhancing reproductive drought tolerance in maize requires elucidating the physiological mechanisms underlying its response to drought stress, which can then be incorporated into the development of new maize varieties through breeding programs. Additionally, innovative cultivation practices must be devised to complement these genetic improvements. In this review, the timing, duration, and severity of drought stress during the reproductive stage and their effects on maize kernel set are assessed, providing a basis for constructing a framework that links kernel setting to drought stress. Based on this framework, reproductive drought tolerance from tasseling through post-fertilization kernel establishment is subsequently examined. Evidence indicates that drought-induced fertilization failure is primarily due to delayed pollination resulting from slower silk elongation, which is caused by the loss of cell turgor and reduced carbon supply. Meanwhile, kernel abortion after fertilization is mainly triggered by carbohydrate starvation, increased ethylene emission, and the accumulation of abscisic acid (ABA). Therefore, sugar metabolism, hydraulic status, and hormone signaling collectively regulate maize’s kernel setting tolerance to drought stress in a synergistic manner. Several novel gene candidates with potential for conferring drought tolerance in maize have been identified, offering promising targets for genetic improvement through genome editing combined with targeted cultivation practices to enhance maize drought tolerance and ensure stable grain yield in future crops. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-49346e268e1f40f19beb167cd2ad9841 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2214-5141 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Crop Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-49346e268e1f40f19beb167cd2ad98412025-08-22T04:56:30ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Crop Journal2214-51412025-08-011341022103110.1016/j.cj.2025.05.004Mitigating drought-associated reproductive failure in maize: From physiological mechanisms to practical solutionsZhiwei Wang0Yi Yu1Xiang Chen2Yangyang Li3Ashley Jones4Ray J. Rose5Yong-Ling Ruan6Youhong Song7School of Agronomy, National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China; State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-breeding, College of Agronomy & Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, ChinaSchool of Agronomy, National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, ChinaSchool of Agronomy, National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, ChinaSchool of Agronomy, National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, ChinaResearch School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, AustraliaSchool of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle 2308, AustraliaSchool of Agronomy, National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China; Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, AustraliaSchool of Agronomy, National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology, Ecology and Genetic Breeding, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, Jiangxi, China; Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, Centre for Crop Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; Corresponding author.Maize serves as a crucial cereal crop globally, yet the escalating frequency of drought stress during the reproductive phase poses a significant threat to grain yield by causing an irreversible loss in kernel number. Enhancing reproductive drought tolerance in maize requires elucidating the physiological mechanisms underlying its response to drought stress, which can then be incorporated into the development of new maize varieties through breeding programs. Additionally, innovative cultivation practices must be devised to complement these genetic improvements. In this review, the timing, duration, and severity of drought stress during the reproductive stage and their effects on maize kernel set are assessed, providing a basis for constructing a framework that links kernel setting to drought stress. Based on this framework, reproductive drought tolerance from tasseling through post-fertilization kernel establishment is subsequently examined. Evidence indicates that drought-induced fertilization failure is primarily due to delayed pollination resulting from slower silk elongation, which is caused by the loss of cell turgor and reduced carbon supply. Meanwhile, kernel abortion after fertilization is mainly triggered by carbohydrate starvation, increased ethylene emission, and the accumulation of abscisic acid (ABA). Therefore, sugar metabolism, hydraulic status, and hormone signaling collectively regulate maize’s kernel setting tolerance to drought stress in a synergistic manner. Several novel gene candidates with potential for conferring drought tolerance in maize have been identified, offering promising targets for genetic improvement through genome editing combined with targeted cultivation practices to enhance maize drought tolerance and ensure stable grain yield in future crops.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214514125001175Zea mays L.Drought stressKernel setReproductive failureSugar starvationGrain yield |
| spellingShingle | Zhiwei Wang Yi Yu Xiang Chen Yangyang Li Ashley Jones Ray J. Rose Yong-Ling Ruan Youhong Song Mitigating drought-associated reproductive failure in maize: From physiological mechanisms to practical solutions Crop Journal Zea mays L. Drought stress Kernel set Reproductive failure Sugar starvation Grain yield |
| title | Mitigating drought-associated reproductive failure in maize: From physiological mechanisms to practical solutions |
| title_full | Mitigating drought-associated reproductive failure in maize: From physiological mechanisms to practical solutions |
| title_fullStr | Mitigating drought-associated reproductive failure in maize: From physiological mechanisms to practical solutions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mitigating drought-associated reproductive failure in maize: From physiological mechanisms to practical solutions |
| title_short | Mitigating drought-associated reproductive failure in maize: From physiological mechanisms to practical solutions |
| title_sort | mitigating drought associated reproductive failure in maize from physiological mechanisms to practical solutions |
| topic | Zea mays L. Drought stress Kernel set Reproductive failure Sugar starvation Grain yield |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214514125001175 |
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