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<p>Stem lodging poses a major challenge to modern maize production by significantly reducing yield, impairing grain quality, and complicating mechanical harvest. Our previous work identified ZmmiR528 as a key post-transcriptional regulator of lignin biosynthesis and lodging resistance, highlighting its potential as a breeding target. However, strategies to leverage this gene in breeding programs have remained unexplored. In this study, we characterized stem lodging resistance in a diverse panel of 263 maize accessions under field conditions and performed sequencing of the <i>ZmMIR528a</i> and <i>ZmMIR528b</i> loci. An association analysis identified a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the <i>ZmMIR528b</i> promoter that was significantly correlated with the stem lodging resistance index. Accessions carrying the <i>Pro</i>-C allele at this locus demonstrated a significantly higher stem lodging resistance index and greater stem lignin content than those with the <i>Pro</i>-T allele. Luciferase assays indicated that the <i>Pro</i>-C haplotype conferred lower transcriptional activity than the Pro-T haplotype. Consistent with this, stem-loop RT-qPCR revealed that mature ZmmiR528 abundance was significantly lower in accessions harboring the <i>Pro</i>-C allele. We subsequently developed a cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) marker based on this SNP and validated its efficacy in a panel of ten diverse inbred lines. Collectively, our findings identify a novel functional promoter allele that enhances lodging resistance by repressing ZmmiR528 expression, thereby providing a validated molecular tool for breeding lodging-resistant maize.</p>

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Natural variation in the promoter of ZmMIR528b mediates maize stem lodging resistance by regulating ZmmiR528 expression

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月15日

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  • Dengke Shi,
  • Wenshuai Lv,
  • Yu Guo,
  • Pengshuai Yan,
  • Qingguo Du,
  • Wen-Xue Li

摘要

Stem lodging poses a major challenge to modern maize production by significantly reducing yield, impairing grain quality, and complicating mechanical harvest. Our previous work identified ZmmiR528 as a key post-transcriptional regulator of lignin biosynthesis and lodging resistance, highlighting its potential as a breeding target. However, strategies to leverage this gene in breeding programs have remained unexplored. In this study, we characterized stem lodging resistance in a diverse panel of 263 maize accessions under field conditions and performed sequencing of the ZmMIR528a and ZmMIR528b loci. An association analysis identified a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the ZmMIR528b promoter that was significantly correlated with the stem lodging resistance index. Accessions carrying the Pro-C allele at this locus demonstrated a significantly higher stem lodging resistance index and greater stem lignin content than those with the Pro-T allele. Luciferase assays indicated that the Pro-C haplotype conferred lower transcriptional activity than the Pro-T haplotype. Consistent with this, stem-loop RT-qPCR revealed that mature ZmmiR528 abundance was significantly lower in accessions harboring the Pro-C allele. We subsequently developed a cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) marker based on this SNP and validated its efficacy in a panel of ten diverse inbred lines. Collectively, our findings identify a novel functional promoter allele that enhances lodging resistance by repressing ZmmiR528 expression, thereby providing a validated molecular tool for breeding lodging-resistant maize.