ABSTRACT
Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important food and feed crop globally. It is the third most important food crop after rice and wheat, in terms of both area and production, and India is the fth largest producer of maize in the world, contributing 3% of the total global production. Due to economic necessity, most of the people in developing countries are overly dependent on maize as the staple food. It provides 50% of the dietary protein for humans and can comprise 70% of the protein intake for people in developing countries (Deutscher 1978). In Africa and some Asian countries, almost 90% of maize grown is for human consumption
CONTENTS
3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 73 3.2 Genomics ............................................................................................................................... 74
3.2.1 Genetic and Physical Maps..................................................................................... 74 3.2.2 Mapping and Tagging of Genes and QTLs for Agronomic Traits ....................75 3.2.3 Mapping and Tagging of Genes for Quality Traits ............................................. 76 3.2.4 Association Mapping and Nested Association Mapping in Maize ................. 78 3.2.5 Marker-Assisted Selection for Maize Improvement ........................................... 78 3.2.6 Success Stories of Commercialization of MAS-Derived QPM Hybrids ........... 79
3.2.6.1 MAS for Development of QPM Maize ................................................... 79 3.2.6.2 Vivek QPM 9 .............................................................................................. 79 3.2.6.3 Vivek QPM 21 ............................................................................................80
