Ming  Li , Shusheng Liu , Congbiao  You

Tropical Microbial Resources Research Center, Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China
Author    Correspondence author
Maize Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol. 16, No. 2   
Received: 22 Feb., 2025    Accepted: 08 Apr., 2025    Published: 23 Apr., 2025

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Northern corn leaf blight (NCLB), caused by the fungal pathogen Exserohilum turcicum, is a major foliar disease of maize that poses significant threats to yield across various agro-ecological regions worldwide. The rapid evolution and genetic diversity of the pathogen have diminished the durability of traditional qualitative resistance genes, such as Ht1, Ht2, Ht3, and Htn1. This study conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of existing maize germplasm to evaluate genetic variability and disease resistance traits associated with NCLB. Key findings include the identification of stable quantitative trait loci (QTLs), the application of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers that contribute to both qualitative and quantitative resistance. This study also explored the influence of environmental factors on disease progression, dissected gene expression dynamics underlying resistance, and emphasized the importance of genetic background in phenotypic performance. Furthermore, emerging technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing were discussed for their potential in developing broad-spectrum, durable disease-resistant maize varieties. These findings provide valuable insights and strategic directions for the enhancement of maize resistance breeding programs through integrated molecular approaches.

Maize; Northern corn leaf blight; Ht genes; Genome-wide association study; Genetic diversity