Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Handbook of Maize: Its Biology pp 457–467Cite as

Heterosis

  • Chapter

Abstract

Although heterosis has been exploited commercially for close to a century, the molecular mechanisms underlying hybrid vigor are not well understood. Multiple models, including dominance and complementation, have been proposed. Historically, quantitative genetic approaches have been utilized to understand the regulation of heterosis as it affects traits such as yield. Recent technological advances have allowed for global studies of gene expression in inbreds and hybrids. These studies are consistent with multiple molecular mechanisms contributing to heterosis. An enhanced understanding of the regulation of cellular processes and their relationships to heterotic phenotypes are expected to enhance our ability to predict the performance of specific hybrids and hence to increase the rate of genetic gain.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Auger DL, Gray AD, Ream TS, Kato A, Coe EH, Jr, Birchler JA (2005) Nonadditive gene expression in diploid and triploid hybrids of maize . Genetics169(1): 389–397.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Birchler JA, Auger DL, Riddle NC (2003) In search of the molecular basis of heterosis. Plant Cell 15(10): 2236–2239.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Birchler JA, Yao H, Chudalayandi S (2006) Unraveling the genetic basis of hybrid vigor. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103(35): 12957–12958.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bruce AB (1910) The Mendelian theory of heredity and the augmentation of vigor. Science 32 :627–628.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Darwin C (1876) The Effects of Cross and Self Fertilization in the Vegetable Kingdom. Murry,London

    Google Scholar 

  • Dubreuil P, Charcosset A (1999) Relationships among maize inbred lines and populations from European and North-American origins are estimated using RFLP markers . Theor Appl Genet.99: 473–480.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duvick, DN (1999) The Genetics and Exploitation of Heterosis in Crops, eds. Coors JG and Pandey S. Crop Sci. Soc. Amer., Madison, WI: 19–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • East EM (1908) Inbreeding in corn. Rpt Conn Agr Exp Sta 1907: 419–428.

    Google Scholar 

  • East EM (1909) The distinction between development and heredity in inbreeding. Amer Nat 43 :173–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • East EM (1936) Heterosis. Genetics 21: 375–397.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frascaroli E, Cane MA, Landi P, Pea G, Gianfranceschi L, Villa M, Morgante M, Pe ME (2007)Classical genetic and quantitative trait loci analyses of heterosis in a maize hybrid between two elite inbred lines . Genetics 176(1): 625–644.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fu H and Dooner HK (2002) Intraspecific violation of genetic colinearity and its implications in maize. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 99(14): 9573–9578.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fu Y, Wen TJ, Ronin YI, Chen HD, Guo L, Mester DI, Yang Y, Lee M, Korol AB, Ashlock DA,Schnable PS (2006) Genetic dissection of intermated recombinant inbred lines using a new genetic map of maize . Genetics 174(3): 1671–1683.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guo M, Rupe MA, Zinselmeier C, Habben J, Bowen BA, Smith OS (2004) Allelic variation of gene expression in maize hybrids . Plant Cell 16(7): 1707–1716.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guo M, Rupe MA, Yang X, Crasta O, Zinselmeier C, Smith OS, Bowen B (2006) Genome-wide transcript analysis of maize hybrids: allelic additive gene expression and yield heterosis . Theor Appl Genet 113(5): 831–845.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hallauer AR, Malithano D (1976) Evaluation of maize varieties for their potential as breeding populations. Euphytica 25(1): 117–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hallauer AR and Miranda Fo JB (1981) Quantitative Genetics in Maize Breeding. Iowa State University Press, Ames, IA

    Google Scholar 

  • Hinze L, Kresovich S, Nason JD, Lamkey KR (2005) Population genetic diversity in a maize reciprocal recurrent selection program . Crop Breed Genet Cytol 45: 2435–2442.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hochholdinger F and Hoecker N (2007) Towards the molecular basis of heterosis. Trends Plant Sci 12(9): 427–432.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hollick JB and Chandler VL (1998) Epigenetic allelic states of a maize transcriptional regulatory locus exhibit overdominant gene action . Genetics 150(2): 891–897.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Huang Y, Zhang L, Zhang J, Yuan D, Xu C, Li X, Zhou D, Wang S, Zhang Q (2006) Heterosis and polymorphisms of gene expression in an elite rice hybrid as revealed by a microarray analysis of 9198 unique ESTs . Plant Mol Biol 62(4–5): 579–591.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jones DF (1918) The effect of inbreeding and crossbreeding upon development. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 4(8): 246–250.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kusterer B, Muminovic J, Utz HF, Piepho HP, Barth S, Heckenberger M, Meyer RC, Altmann T,Melchinger AE (2007) Analysis of a triple testcross design with recombinant inbred lines reveals a significant role of epistasis in heterosis for biomass-related traits in Arabidopsis . Genetics 175(4): 2009–2017.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee M, Sharopova N, Beavis WD, Grant D, Katt M, Blair D, Hallauer AR (2002) Expanding the genetic map of maize with the intermated B73×Mo17 (IBM) population . Plant Mol Biol 48(5–6): 453–461.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Levings CS, Dudley JW, Alexander DE (1967) Inbreeding and crossing in autotetraploid maize. Crop Sci 7: 72–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu H, Li JS, Liu JL, Bernardo R (2002) Allozyme polymorphisms of maize populations from southwestern China. Theor Appl Genet 104(1): 119–126.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lu HJ, Bernardo R, Ohm HW (2003) Mapping QTL for popping expansion volume in popcorn with simple sequence repeat markers . Theor Appl Genet 106(3): 423–427.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer S, Pospisil H, Scholten S (2007) Heterosis associated gene expression in maize embryos 6 days after fertilization exhibits additive, dominant and overdominant pattern . Plant Mol Biol 63(3): 381–391.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mooers CA (1910) Stand and soil fertility as factors in the testing of cultivars of corn. Tenn AES Bull 89: 197–198.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mooers CA (1920) Planting rates and spacing for corn under southern conditions. Agron J 12 :1–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Randolph LF (1942) The influence of heterozygosis on fertility and vigor in autotetraploid maize. Genetics 27: 163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell WA (1972) Registration of B70 and B73 parental lines of maize. Crop Sci 12: 721.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schadt EE, Monks SA, Drake TA, Lusis AJ, Che N, Colinayo V, Ruff TG, Milligan SB, Lamb JR,Cavet G, Linsley PS, Mao M, Stoughton RB, Friend SH (2003) Genetics of gene expression surveyed in maize, mouse and man . Nature 422(6929): 297–302.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Semel Y, Nissenbaum J, Menda N, Zinder M, Krieger U, Issman N, Pleban T, Lippman Z, Gur A,Zamir D (2006) Overdominant quantitative trait loci for yield and fitness in tomato. Proc NatlAcad Sci USA 103(35): 12981–12986.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shull GH (1908) The composition of a field of maize. Am Breed Assoc 4: 296–301.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shull GH (1909) A pure line method of corn breeding. Am Breed Assoc Rep 5: 51–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Song S, Qu H, Chen C, Hu S, Yu J (2007a) Differential gene expression in an elite hybrid rice cultivar (Oryza sativa, L) and its parental lines based on SAGE data . BMC Plant Biol 7(1):49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song X, Ni Z, Yao Y, Xie C, Li Z, Wu H, Zhang Y, Sun Q (2007b) Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)root proteome and differentially expressed root proteins between hybrid and parents . Proteomics 7(19): 3538–3557.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sprague GF and Jenkins MT (1943) A comparison of synthetic cultivars, multiple crosses, and double crosses in corn . J Am Soc Agron 35: 137–147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Springer NM and Stupar RM (2007a) Allele-specific expression patterns reveal biases and embryo-specific parent-of-origin effects in hybrid maize . Plant Cell 19(8): 2391–2402.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Springer NM and Stupar RM (2007b) Allelic variation and heterosis in maize: how do two halves make more than a whole? Genome Res 17(3): 264–275.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stuber CW, Lincoln SE, Wolff DW, Helentjaris T, Lander ES (1992) Identification of genetic factors contributing to heterosis in a hybrid from two elite maize inbred lines using molecular markers . Genetics 132(3): 823–839.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stupar RM and Springer NM (2006) Cis -transcriptional variation in maize inbred lines B73 and Mo17 leads to additive expression patterns in the F1 hybrid . Genetics 173(4): 2199–2210.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Swanson-Wagner RA, Jia Y, DeCook R, Borsuk LA, Nettleton D, Schnable PS (2006) All possible modes of gene action are observed in a global comparison of gene expression in a maize F1 hybrid and its inbred parents . Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103(18): 6805–6810.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tian ZY and Dai JR (2003) Relationship between differential gene expression patterns in functional leaves of maize inbreds & hybrids at spikelet differentiation stage and heterosis . Yi Chuan Xue Bao 30(2): 154–162.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Troyer FA (2006) Adaptedness and heterosis in corn and mule hybrids. Crop Sci 46: 16

    Google Scholar 

  • Uzarowska A, Keller B, Piepho HP, Schwarz G, Ingvardsen C, Wenzel G, Lubberstedt T (2007) Comparative expression profiling in meristems of inbred-hybrid triplets of maize based on morphological investigations of heterosis for plant height . Plant Mol Biol 63(1): 21–34.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wallace HA and Brown WL (1988) Corn and Its Early Fathers. Iowa State University Press, Ames

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang X, Cao H, Zhang D, Li B, He Y, Li J, Wang S (2007) Relationship between differential gene expression and heterosis during ear development in maize ( Zea mays L.). J Genet Genomics 34(2): 160–170.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Xie XD, Ni ZF, Meng FR, Wu LM, Wang ZK, Sun QX (2003) Relationship between differences of gene expression in early developing seeds of hybrid versus parents and heterosis in wheat . Yi Chuan Xue Bao 30(3): 260–266.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yao H, Zhou Q, Li J, Smith H, Yandeau M, Nikolau BJ, Schnable PS (2002) Molecular characterization of meiotic recombination across the 140-kb multigenic a1-sh2 interval of maize . Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 99(9): 6157–6162.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang ZM, Zhao MJ, Ding HP, Rong TZ, Pan GT (2006) Quantitative trait loci analysis of plant height and ear height in maize ( Zea mays L.). Genetika 42(3): 5.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Patrick S. Schnable
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ruth A. Swanson-Wagner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

    Jeff L. Bennetzen

  2. Berkeley USDA Plant Gene Expression Center, University of California, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA, USA

    Sarah C. Hake

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Schnable, P.S., Swanson-Wagner, R.A. (2009). Heterosis. In: Bennetzen, J.L., Hake, S.C. (eds) Handbook of Maize: Its Biology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79418-1_23

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation