Contents

Part 1 Genetic diversity and breeding

Chapter 1 Ensuring the genetic diversity of maize and its wild relatives

1 Introduction

2 Global maize cultivation and yield trends

3 Domestication and global spread of maize

4 Genetic diversity in Zea: maize and its wild relatives

5 The importance of genetic diversity in improving maize productivity

6 Case studies of the use of maize genetic diversity in breeding

7 In situ diversity and conservation of maize genetic diversity

8 Ex situ conservation of maize diversity in genebanks

9 Critical issues facing maize genebank curators today and in the immediate future

10 Conclusions

11 References

Chapter 2 Key challenges in maize breeding in sub-Saharan Africa

1 Introduction

2 Research facilities

3 Human resources

4 Use of tropical germplasm for maize improvement

5 Heterosis, heterotic grouping and identification of testers in maize germplasm

6 Application of new plant breeding techniques

7 Participatory plant breeding

8 Conclusion and future trends

9 Where to look for further information

10 References

Chapter 3 Developing maize-breeding methods and cultivars to meet the challenge of climate change

1 Introduction

2 Early developments in breeding

3 Hybrid breeding: heterosis

4 Inbred–hybrid breeding

5 Limitations in current breeding techniques

6 Exploiting genetic diversity

7 Breeding for marginal environments

8 High-throughput phenotyping

9 Case study: use of exotic germplasm

10 Case study: short-season quality maize hybrids

11 Case study: cold- and drought-resistant varieties

12 Summary and future trends

13 References

Chapter 4 Understanding and improving protein traits in maize

1 Introduction

2 Storage proteins in maize seed

3 Regulation of storage protein genes 

4 Synthesis and deposition of zein proteins

5 Improving protein quality in maize seed 

6 Maintaining sulphur storage in maize seed 

7 Future trends 

8 Acknowledgements

9 References

Chapter 5 Advances in mycotoxin-resistant maize varieties

1 Introduction

2 Key challenges in developing new varieties

3 Techniques for developing new varieties

4 Case study: creating Aspergillus flavus resistant maize breeding lines

5 Summary

6 Future trends

7 Where to look for further information

8 References

Chapter 6 Advances in cold-tolerant maize varieties

1 Introduction

2 The effect of temperature on maize growth

3 Factors affecting seed quality and germination at low temperatures

4 Cold test methods

5 Germplasm evaluation to improve cold tolerance through breeding

6 Inheritance of cold tolerance

7 Physiological background of chilling tolerance

8 Genetic markers for cold tolerance

9 Summary

10 Future trends in research

11 Where to look for further information

12 References

Part 2 Understanding and improving maize nutritional and sensory quality

Chapter 7 Nutritional and nutraceutical/functional properties of maize

1 Introduction

2 Protein quality

3 Carbohydrate profile

4 Corn oil

5 Micronutrients in maize

6 Future trends

7 Where to look for further information

8 References

Chapter 8 Biofortification of maize

1 Introduction

2 Justification for maize biofortification

3 Suitability of maize for biofortification

4 Breeding of provitamin A biofortified maize

5 Target setting for provitamin A carotenoids

6 Delivering biofortified maize

7 Case study: the Zambia maize biofortification programme

8 Future trends

9 Where to look for further information

10 References

Chapter 9 Assessing and improving the nutritional quality of maize

1 Introduction: maize kernel composition

2 Overview of methods for improving the protein and starch content of maize kernels

3 Improving the protein content of maize using mutant lines

4 Improving the starch content of maize using mutant lines

5 Improving the digestibility of maize protein and starch

6 Assessing and reducing the anti-nutritional properties of maize

7 Conclusions

8 Where to look for further information

9 Acknowledgements

10 References

Chapter 10 Analysing maize grain quality

1 Introduction

2 The starch content of maize

3 The protein content of maize

4 Phenolic compounds in maize

5 Maize kernel hardness/texture

6 Mycotoxins in maize

7 Conclusions: current uses and future trends in maize grain analysis

8 Where to look for further information

9 References

Part 3 Translating research into practice: improving maize cultivation in the developing world

Chapter 11 Constraints in adopting improved technologies for maize cultivation: the case of Africa 

1 Introduction

2 Understanding farmers’ decisions on improved technology adoption: the adoption theory

3 Adoption of improved maize technologies

4 Constraining factors in the adoption of improved maize technologies: economic and institutional factors

5 Constraining factors in the adoption of improved maize technologies: the importance of farmers’ characteristics and perspectives

6 Strategies for improving the adoption of improved maize technologies

7 Conclusion

8 Where to look for further information

9 References

Chapter 12 Supporting smallholders in maize cultivation: using an agricultural innovation systems approach

1 Introduction: agricultural innovation systems

2 Entry points for change

3 Local experimentation

4 From new innovation to routine practice

5 Roles and capacities required from agricultural research

6 Conclusions

7 Where to look for further information

8 References

Chapter 13 Women and maize cultivation: increasing productivity through gender analysis

1 Introduction: the importance of considering the impact of gender in maize production

2 Men and women within farming households

3 Men and women in maize production systems

4 Gender divisions in labour and access to labour for maize production

5 Post-harvest processing and storage

6 Crop and varietal choice

7 Women as urban consumers

8 Agricultural research to empower women

9 Conclusions

10 Where to look for further information

11 References

Index