The Earlyqpm Program: The Next Generation of Healthier Short-Season Products.

The EarlyQPM Program: the Next Generation of Healthier Short-season Products

N. Dong, S. Sharma, and M. J. Carena*

Dep. of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State Univ., Dep. #7670, Fargo, ND 58108-6050.

*Corresponding author, email: marcelo.carena@ndsu.edu

            Maize is mainly grown as food and feed. A primary nutritional limitation of maize grain is the insufficient amounts of essential amino acids (i.e. lysine, methionine, and cysteine) to satisfy the nutritional requirements of monogastric animals, including humans. The content and quality of protein in maize (QPM) have been increased through genetic improvement.  However, adaptation of QPM genotypes to temperate environments has been challenging. This research aims to develop NDSU early-maturing QPM lines adapted to northern U.S. with high quality of protein. Forty-seven quality protein maize (QPM) lines were crossed to early inbred lines. Crosses were backcrossed to early inbred lines. Quality traits were screened using near infrared grain analyzer. Eleven QPM backcross populations with high protein quality were identified, from which two populations were discarded based on agronomic traits such as lodging, grain moisture content, and earliness in 2011 summer nursery. The selected populations will be advanced to another selfing generation to take advantage of the additive genes for protein quality. This will also provide sufficient sample size for protein quality evaluation. Testcrosses of selected lines will be generated in 2012 winter nursery. Field testing will be done in 2013 and 2014 for yield, agronomic, and grain quality traits. This is the first attempt to assess the incorporation of exotic QPM germplasm as the donor for high protein quality with the target to enhance the nutrition and healthy diet in the northern US Corn Belt.