ANTHOCYANIN ACCUMULATION IN PERICARP AND ALEURONE LAYER OF MAIZE KERNEL AND THEIR GENETIC EFFECTS ON NATIVE PIGMENTED VARIETIES

Abstract

In México there is a wide genetic and phenotypic diversity for kernel color in maize (Zea mays L.), which is determined by anthocyanins and other pigments. In the present study the maternal effects (ME) and general combining ability (GCA) on the pericarp and aleurone size, as well as on the storage capacity for accumulating anthocyanins, were estimated in kernels from the F1 generation of the possible crosses among six maize native populations with different kernel colors: Red-1 (purple), Blue-1, Blue-2 (dwelled), Red-2 (red), Yellow and White. A relationship between kernel color and anthocyanin content was found. The Red-1 progenitor showed the highest anthocyanin content (1269 mg kg^-1 of kernel), and 90.2 % of it was in the pericarp; this progenitor over rated the others by 70.7 %, at least. The 30 crosses and the six progenitors varied (P ≤ 0.05) in pericarp and whole kernel weights, as well as in anthocyanin contents in pericarp, aleurone layer and whole kernel; they varied also in pericarp and aleurone thickness. ME and GCA were the genetic effects with larger significance on the analyzed characteristics. Blue-1 and Red-1 were the most outstan-ding progenitors under these criteria.