To detect and identify six varieties of genetically modified (GM) maize, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were performed in the present study. The effect of heat treatment on the detection of the genes by the PCR methods was investigated. Maize samples were subjected to 100 ̊C and 121 ̊C heat treatment for different time intervals, and PCR tests were then conducted by using primers specific...

Maize streak virus (MSV; family Geminiviridae, genus Mastrevirus), the causal agent of maize streak disease, ranks amongst the most serious biological threats to food security in subSaharan Africa. Although five distinct MSV strains have been currently described, only one of these - MSV-A - causes severe disease in maize. Due primarily to their not being an obvious threat to agriculture, very l...

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation is an effective method for introducing genes into maize. In this chapter, we describe a detailed protocol for genetic transformation of the maize genotype Hi II. Our starting plant material is immature embryos cocultivated with an Agrobacterium strain carrying a standard binary vector. In addition to step-by-step laboratory transformation proced...

Intercropping is an ancient agricultural practice that provides a possible pathway for sustainable increases in crop yields. Here, we determine how competition with wheat affects nutrient uptake (nitrogen and phosphorus) and leaf traits, such as photosynthetic rate, in maize. In a field experiment, maize was planted as a sole crop, in three different intercrop configurations with wheat (a repla...

Low yield of maize continues to affect the livelihood of smallholder farmers in the Zabzugu-Tatale area despite the introduction of a high yielding Obatanpa maize variety. The study used a cross-sectional survey design with 240 randomly sampled household heads growing maize to examine determinants of adoption of Obatampa varieties (IMVs) by farmers in the Zabzugu-Tatale area in the Northern Reg...

  Maize is the main staple food of world but it nutritional deficient due to scarcity two essential amino acids viz., lysine and tryptophan. Under this study, opaque2 gene from QPM donor (CML-169) was transferred into normal maize (BAJIM-08-26) through marker aided backcross breeding method. The specific SSR (phi057) used for foreground selection in BC1F1 BC2F1 generations. heterozygous of...

Livestock is an important sector of agriculture, but good quality forage is one of the major limiting factors for the growth of this industry. Studies were conducted to compare the forage quality of maize and legumes sown in pure stand and in mixture in randomized complete blocks during 2005 and 2006 at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan. Maize (Zea mays L.) and three legumes [c...

Salinity is a major abiotic-stress worldwide which decreases crop growth productivity. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether salt stress has adverse effects on growth, photosynthetic efficiency, biochemical properties and nutrient status of maize. An experiment was carried out with seeds of four varieties of maize which were allowed to germinate for one week. Afterwards,...