Use of GEM Germplasm for Evaluation and Development of Drought Tolerance, Corn
Earworm Resistance, and Low Aflatoxin Level Grain Corn
Wenwei Xu, Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension Center, 1102
East FM 1294, Lubbock, TX 79403. Tel.: 806-746-4015, Fax: 806-746-6528, E-mail: wexu@tamu.edu
Objectives:.
This report serves to document research conducted under a specific cooperative
agreement between ARS and Texas A&M University. It covers progress from October 1, 2010
to September 30, 2011. Specific objectives of this project include: (1) Select, advance, and
release stress-tolerant inbred lines from GEM germplasm; (2) Evaluate GEM breeding crosses
for drought and heat tolerance, corn ear worm resistance, and agronomic performance in Texas.
Methods and Result:
Inbred lines have been developed from the breeding. crosses ANTIGO01:N16,
AR03056:N0902, BR52051:N04, CH05012:N12, CUBA164:S20, CUBA117:S15, DK888:N11,
DK888:Na08f, DKXL380:S08a, FS8A(T):N11a, FS8A(T):N1801, GUAT209:N1925
SCROGP3:N2017, and SCROPG3:N1411a. About 100 testcrosses between GEM lines
(developed in Lubbock) with public and licensed proprietary lines were evalauted for grain yield,
CEW resistance, and drought tolerance in the Texas High Plains (Lubbock, Halfway, and
Dumas) under well-watered and drought conditions and in the south-central Texas (College
Station, Corpus Christi, Ganado, Uvalde, and Wharton).
The hybrids of the GEM lines developed from BR52051:N04, CUBA117:S15,
DK888:N11 produced grain yield comparable to commercial hybrids (Table 1 and 2). These
hybrids yield showed. The hybrids of the lines derived from BR52051:N04 and CUBA117:S15
also had excellent grain quality. Aflatoxin resistance of the GEM-line hybids were tested in the
SERAT tests for aflatoxin and yield performance in 2011. The SERAT is a muti-state afaltoxin
testing network. Exprimental hybrids from the public breeders in the Georgia, Mississippi and
Texas are tested along with commercial check hybrids in multiple states. Each location usually
has three reploications, and plants are inoculated with high aflatoxin producing strains of A.
flavus. Two of our experimental hybrids Tx-WX11-4 and Tx-WX-11-9 had consistently low
aflatoxin at College Station, TX and Starkville, MS in 2011 (Table 2). Tx-WX-11-4 is the
testcross of a line developed from BR52051:N04 while Tx-WX-11-9 is the testcross of a line
derived from and CUBA117:S15.
Inbred lines from ANTIG01:N16 have nice looking plants and excellent grain quality
with low grain molds, however, these lines have high ear placement. Their testcrosses shed
pollens close to the hybrids with a relative maturity of 117 days and yield slightly lower than
commercial checks. The hybrids of ANTIGO:N16 performed well under severe drought stress
and hot enviroment (Table 3).
The brown midrib lines with the background of GUAT209:N1925 (bm1) and
DK888:N11 (bm3) are being advanced to a higher generation and will be tested for silage yield
and quality in 2012.
Four testcrosses of GEM lines were included in the 2011 Texas State Silage Corn
Performance Test in the High Plains. WXY10F is the testcross of a brown midrib line that was
developed from a breeding cross made with the GEM GUAT209:N19. WXY11C is the testcross
of a line derived from BR52051:N04. WXY11D and and WXY11E are the testcrosses of a line
1
from CUBA117:S15. WXY11C produced a forage yield of 35.7 tons/a, ranked second among
43 entries. Yield, agronomic data, and silage quality of these testcrosses and other commercial
hybrids are shown in Tables 4. The hybrids of the GEM lines usually produce tall and robust
plants. When grain yield is high, these hybrids are suitable for high tonnage and high quality
silage corn production.
Field days:
 Texas High Plains limited irrigation corn field day. Etter, Texas, August 18, 2011.
 Hosted breeders from several seed companies.
These field days were held for corn producers, seed companies, policy makers, consultants,
agriculture professionals, and underground water conservation districts.
Abstracts and Presentations:
1. Yingen Xue, Wenwei Xu, Gary Odvody, and Paul Williams. 2011. Breeding lowaflatoxin corn inbred lines. In Genetics of Maize Disease Workshop, February 20-23,
2011. Raleigh, NC.
2. Wenwei Xu, Yingen Xue, Gary Odvody, and Paul Williams. 2011. Breeding corn
resistant to diseases endemic to the Southern States. In Genetics of Maize Disease
Workshop, February 20-23, 2011. Raleigh, NC.
3. Wenwei Xu, Yingen Xue, Mike Blanco, W. Paul Williams, and Gary Odvody. 2011.
Index and sampling size for evaluating corn earworm injury to corn ears. NCCC167 Corn
Breeding Group Annual Meeting. March 17-17, St Charles, IL.
4. Wenwei Xu, Gary Odvody, and Paul Williams. 2010. Use of GEM germplasm for
improving drought tolerance, corn earworm resistance, and aflatoxin resistance. 10 pages.
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~usdagem/Public_Reports/Yr_2010/GEM_Report_Xu_10.pdf.
5. Teresa A. Gaus, Wenwei Xu, Yingen Xue, Seth Murray, W. Paul William, Gary Odvody,
and Thomas Marek. 2011. Exotic genes from teosinte for improving grain quality and
yield in maize. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, San Antonio, TX. October 16-19,
2011.
6. Yingen Xue, Wenwei Xu, W. Paul William, and Gary Odvody. 2011. New corn
germplasms with improved stress tolerance and aflatoxin resistance. ASA-CSSA-SSSA
Annual Meetings, San Antonio, TX. October 16-19, 2011.
Germplasm distribution: We have distributed seeds of Tx204, Tx205, and four inbred lines (to
be released) to 14 seed companies. Breeders, agronomists, and sales reps toured yield trial plots
involving GEM top crosses with seed company lines during the growing season.
Communications on GEM project:
The GEM project and use of the GEM germplasm in our breeding program were specifically
mentioned in the following publications and presentation.
2
Table 1. Grain yield (bu/a, adjusted to 15.5% moisture) of testcrosses of the lines develpped from
CUBA117:S15 and DK888:N11 (entries 11, 12, and 13) under well-watered conditions at Etter
and severe drought (DRT) conditions in Halfway (HF) and Lubbock (LB), Texas in 2011. This
test had 50 entries.
LBBHFLBBENO Hybrid
Etter
DRT1
DRT
DRT2 Mean
1 C2B5BM1 x NS
192
127
66
48
108
4 C2A554-4 x SS
159
92
133
43
107
6 C25B76-2 x NS
248
131
132
24
134
8 C2A632-2 x NS
205
125
111
43
121
11 CUBA117:S15-1 x NS
197
131
62
50
110
12
13
20
22
23
DK888:N11-5 x SS
DK888:N11-7 x SS
B3C2B5-1 x NS
B3C2B5-4 x NS
B3C2B5-5 x NS
282
185
220
231
223
104
124
97
124
107
67
112
139
93
96
na
31
49
36
33
151
113
126
121
115
25
29
30
33
34
B3C2B5-7 x NS
B3C2B5-14 x NS
B3C2B5-15 x NS
B3C2B5-20 x NS
B3C2B5-23 x NS
229
207
252
232
229
123
132
134
148
158
105
110
60
109
70
33
38
35
21
46
123
122
121
128
126
41
43
44
45
S3C2B6 x NS
S3C2B8 x NS
S3C2B9 x NS
S3C2B10 x NS
260
214
209
225
127
132
156
149
101
104
86
104
33
40
33
19
130
123
121
124
46
47
48
49
50
BH8928VTTP (CK1)
DKC66-23 (CK2)
DKC67-87 (CK3)
P31G96 (CK4)
P33D49 (CK5)
224
241
274
251
250
95
122
129
136
146
143
61
121
104
125
63
25
32
52
42
131
112
139
136
141
Test mean
CV%
LSD 0.05
209
13
56
124
14
36
87
25
44
33
33
22
113
3
Table 2. Aflatoxin (ppb) of the Southeastern Regional Aflatoxin Test (SERAT) at College
Station, TX and Starkville, MS in 2011. Plants in both locations were inoculated with high
aflatoxin producing strains of A. flavus. Experimental hybrid Tx-WX11-4 is the testcross of a
line developed from BR52051:N04 while Tx-WX-11-9 is the testcross of a line derived from and
CUBA117:S15.
Hybrids
Aflatoxin (ppb)
Grain yield (bu/a)
Starkville
College Station
College Station
Tx-WX11-4
84 a
353 ab
138.6 bcde
Tx-WX11-9
107 a
373 a
162.1 a
P31G98
114 a
570 ab
160.8 a
TAMU-7
120 a
463 ab
127.8 def
TAMU-6
151 a
860 ab
131.3 cde
TAMU-5
TAMU-1
DK697
TAMU-2
Tx-WX11-1
152
159
159
226
243
a
a
a
a
a
340
980
917
513
737
a
ab
ab
ab
ab
143.5
130.1
161.7
139.1
144.4
abcde
cdef
a
bcde
abcd
GT-1
GT-4
Tx-WX11-8
GT-3
Tx-WX11-5
270
289
303
310
354
a
a
ab
ab
ab
757
847
817
750
830
ab
ab
ab
ab
ab
113.2
114.8
125.1
140.1
148.8
gf
gf
def
bcde
abc
Tx-WX11-7
GT-2
TAMU-2
GT-5
TAMU-3
388
406
447
520
565
ab
ab
ab
b
b
853
860
1250
1267
943
ab
ab
b
b
ab
105.8
84.5
138.9
129.4
124.0
g
h
bcde
cdef
efg
P31P41
Tx-WX11-3
Tx-WX11-2
Tx-WX11-6
826
1117
1599
3443
bc
bc
bc
c
697
693
1057
1130
ab
ab
ab
ab
158.1
153.5
141.2
142.6
a
ab
bcde
abcde
4
Table 3. Days to pollen shed, plant and ear height, and grain yield (bu/a) of testcrosses of the
lines develpped from ANTIG01:N16 at Etter and Halfway, Texas in 2010 and 2011. The 2011
test at Halfway experienced severe heat and drought stress.
Pedigree
ANTIGO1 x SS3
ANTIGO3 x SS3
ANTIGO4 x SS3
ANTIGO5 x SS3
ANTIGO6 x SS3
Days to pollen
Etter
Halfway
72
71
72
69
73
69
73
70
73
70
Grain yield-2010
Etter
Halfway
163.8
205.9
186.2
219.3
192.4
214.5
226.1
207.2
198.1
206.6
Grain yield -2011
Etter
Halfway
170.4
135.6
166.7
123.2
181.0
132.3
195.0
121.5
179.8
118.5
ANTIGO7 x SS3
ANTIGO8 x SS3
ANTIGO9 x SS3
ANTIGO11 x SS3
ANTIGO13 x SS3
71
71
72
71
71
69
71
67
68
70
157.7
185.6
179.0
182.0
155.3
215.9
237.9
228.6
234.6
227.4
129.5
133.4
139.8
141.7
165.1
109.1
102.5
145.4
114.2
152.5
ANTIGO14 x SS3
ANTIGO15 x SS3
ANTIGO17 x SS3
ANTIGO19 x SS3
71
71
73
73
70
70
70
71
171.2
187.2
179.3
186.6
227.4
222.6
225.1
212.6
154.0
122.7
151.3
161.2
110.9
137.1
133.6
148.2
DKC66-23 (RM116)
DKC67-87 (RM117)
Pioneer 34F96 (RM110)
82H80GT/CB/LL
66
70
69
69
65
67
64
68
250.6
245.8
229.4
249.0
249.0
249.6
215.3
243.6
185.1
241.0
230.2
204.1
53.6
127.4
141.4
127.5
Testcross mean
Test mean
CK mean
CV%
LSD 0.05
72
71
69
1
1
69
69
66
2
4
182.2
195.9
243.7
11.1
49.5
220.4
224.6
239.4
5.1
24.4
150.1
161.0
215.1
16.4
54.5
126.7
124.3
112.4
13.1
33.8
SS3 is a proprietary stiff stalk tester line.
5
Table 4. Means of forage yield adjusted to 65% moisture and agronomic traits of the State
Silage Corn Performance Test at Etter, Texas in 2011. Four Texas A&M experimental hybrids
(WXY10F, WXY11C, WXY11D, and WXY11E) have GEM germplasm. WXY10F is the
testcross of a brown midrib line that was developed from a breeding cross made with the
GUAT209:N19. WXY11C is the testcross of a line derived from BR52051:N04. WXY11D and
and WXY11E are the testcrosses of a line from CUBA117:S15.
Hybrid
TMF2L872
T20911
F2F714
F2F622
GAX-6152
Company
Mycogen
Mycogen
Mycogen
Mycogen
Golden Acres
Days to
anthesis
79.0
78.0
77.0
74.7
74.7
Plant
ht., cm
306
307
311
296
271
Ear ht.,
cm
127.7
123.3
130.7
118.0
103.7
Moist
%
68.3
66.3
64.3
63.0
66.0
Yield
Tons/ac
33.26
35.35
29.61
28.88
31.48
Yield
rank
21
4
41
42
35
28V71
28V81
28Z47
CF 6120 RR
CF 6126 GT
Golden Acres
Golden Acres
Golden Acres
Golden Acres
Golden Acres
75.3
74.7
77.0
79.7
79.7
287
268
316
309
301
107.0
117.0
128.0
136.3
126.7
62.1
63.9
65.3
68.8
69.8
33.23
35.08
35.48
33.94
31.89
22
6
3
13
32
BH 8895 VTTP
BH 9018 VTTP
BH 8719 RR/HXT
X11152 VTTP
X10065 VT3
B-H Genetics
B-H Genetics
B-H Genetics
B-H Genetics
B-H Genetics
76.0
77.0
77.0
74.7
72.7
281
278
293
271
257
101.3
109.0
131.0
103.3
102.3
63.9
60.0
66.1
65.6
62.3
30.46
34.95
32.44
34.84
33.40
40
7
28
9
18
X10080 GT
XP 8711
BH 8860 GT
X8021
X10110GTBT11
B-H Genetics
B-H Genetics
B-H Genetics
B-H Genetics
B-H Genetics
80.3
76.0
77.0
78.0
75.3
281
292
288
289
284
111.7
104.7
111.3
108.0
121.0
64.5
63.5
59.0
63.8
62.1
33.62
32.43
33.07
33.32
32.93
15
29
23
20
24
DKC 67-88
DKC 64-69
Integra 9650
Integra 9682
D56VP69
Monsanto
Monsanto
Wilbur-Ellis
Wilbur-Ellis
DynaGro
77.0
74.0
76.0
78.0
76.0
288
278
300
296
270
123.3
100.7
114.7
128.3
106.7
61.2
62.7
62.6
67.2
61.0
35.13
30.72
33.57
34.77
34.36
5
39
16
10
12
V5683 VT3
CX 11615
CX 11417
70R50
71M36
DynaGro
DynaGro
DynaGro
Blue River
Blue River
79.7
76.0
74.7
72.7
74.7
287
286
276
260
287
108.7
103.3
110.0
93.3
115.7
63.1
64.2
64.8
60.4
65.5
36.19
30.96
31.75
28.25
32.78
1
37
34
43
25
73B33
76H50
WXY10D
WXY10F
WXY11D
Hybrid
Blue River
Blue River
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
Company
76.0
77.0
78.0
79.0
77.0
Days to
288
272
294
297
274
Plant
104.3
105.3
131.3
116.3
121.7
Ear ht.,
64.9
64.4
69.5
66.5
63.0
Moist
32.76
33.56
34.44
31.11
34.94
Yield
26
17
11
36
8
Yield
6
WXY11A
WXY11B
WXY11C
WXY11D
WXY11E
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
17254
2288H
1956H
Triumph
Triumph
Triumph
Test mean
CV%
LSD 0.05
anthesis
77.0
77.0
77.0
74.7
76.0
ht., cm
289
293
301
283
279
cm
117.3
118.0
129.0
106.7
105.3
%
67.7
67.8
65.2
63.5
64.0
Tones/ac
32.12
33.33
35.66
31.83
32.66
rank
31
19
2
33
27
74.7
81.0
78.0
292
302
294
110.7
127.0
122.0
66.2
68.2
64.5
33.72
30.89
32.24
14
38
30
76.6
1.7
2.2
288
4.3
19.9
114.9
11.6
21.6
64.6
3.0
3.1
32.96
6.85
3.66
7