title: An insight into the sensitivity of maize to photoperiod changes under controlled conditions.
abstract: Response of maize to photoperiods affects adaption of this crop to environments. We characterize the phenotypes of four temperate-adapted maize foundation parents, Huangzao 4, Chang 7-2, Ye 478 and Zheng 58, and two tropically adapted maize foundation parents, M9 and Shuang M9 throughout the growth stage under three constant photoperiod regimes in a daily cycle of 24 h at 28 °C, and analysed expression of 48 photoperiod response-associated genes. Consequently, long photoperiod (LP) repressed development of the tassels of photoperiod-sensitive maize lines at V9 stage, and caused subsequent failure in flowering; failure of photoperiod-sensitive maize lines in flowering under LP was associated with lower expression of flowering-related genes; photoperiod changes could make a marked impact on spatial layout of maize inflorescence. The larger oscillation amplitude of expression of photoperiod-responsive genes occurred in LP-sensitive maize lines. In conclusion, failure in development of tassels at V9 stage under LP is an early indicator for judging photoperiod sensitivity. The adaptation of temperate-adapted maize lines to LP is due to the better coordination of expression among photoperiod-sensing genes instead of the loss of the genes. High photoperiod sensitivity of maize is due to high expression of circadian rhythm-responding genes improperly early in the light.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Microbial and Plant Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530004, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Microbial and Plant Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530004, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Microbial and Plant Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530004, China.
authors.forename: Xian-Wei
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Microbial and Plant Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530004, China.
authors.forename: You-Zhi
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D056626:Inflorescence / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010641:Phenotype; D017440:Photoperiod; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: environment