Genetic Resources and Breeding of Maize

Dear Colleagues,

Maize genetic resources are vital for developing resilient varieties capable of withstanding the challenges posed by climate change. These resources encompass traditional landraces, wild relatives, and conserved seed collections, contributing to the crop's adaptability and sustainability. As temperatures rise, rainfall patterns shift, and extreme weather events become more frequent, the diversity of maize varieties and their genetic traits provide a foundation for breeding resilient varieties. Genetic diversity could serve as a buffer against climate change: traditional maize varieties and wild relatives stored in national genebanks preserve their genetic diversity for future breeding and harbour genetic traits for drought tolerance, heat resistance, and pest resilience.

Maize breeding plays a crucial role in addressing climate change by developing resilient varieties that can withstand environmental stresses, enhancing food security and increasing crop productivity. Modern maize breeding combines traditional breeding techniques (hybrid breeding, Marker-Assisted Selection–MAS, and Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) mapping) with advanced genetic technologies (Genetic Modification (GM), gene editing (CRISPR-Cas9), and RNA Interference (RNAi), with the aim of creating climate-resilient hybrids (drought-, heat- and flood-tolerant varieties, resistant to waterlogging), pest and disease resistance and nutritional improvement (biofortification and low-mycotoxin varieties), as well as the application of genomic selection and high-throughput phenotyping.

Implementing these techniques, strategies, and climate-smart agricultural practices (such as Innovative Farming Systems) can significantly enhance the resilience of maize to climate change and ensure its sustainable production under changing environmental conditions.

Dr. Violeta Andjelkovic
Dr. Domagoj Šimić
Guest Editors

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