Comprehensive meta-analysis of QTL and gene expression studies identify candidate genes associated with Aspergillus flavus resistance in maize

Aflatoxin (AF) contamination, caused by Aspergillus flavus , compromises the food safety and marketability of commodities, such as maize, cotton, peanuts, tree nuts. Multigenic inheritance AF resistance impedes conventional introgression traits into high-yielding commercial maize varieties. Several resistance-associated quantitative trait loci (QTLs) markers have been reported from multiple biparental mapping genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in maize. However, QTLs with large confidence intervals (CI) explaining inconsistent phenotypic variance limit their use marker-assisted selection. Meta-analysis published can identify significant meta-QTLs (MQTLs) a narrower CI for reliable identification genes linked resistance. Using 276 out 356 controlling to A. infection contamination we identified 58 MQTLs on all 10 chromosomes 66.5% reduction average CI. Similarly, meta-analysis differentially expressed response (a)biotic stresses to-date literature 591 putatively responding only infection, which 14 were significantly (−1.0 ≤ Log2Fc ≥ 1.0; p 0.05). Eight validated colocalization SNPs GWAS A total 15 physically close between MQTL SNPs. Assessment 12 MQTL-linked SSR three that could discriminate eight cultivars susceptible responses, respectively. comprehensive led makers potential application breeding -resistant