METHOD FOR DETERMINING DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN MAIZE Russian patent published in 2020 - IPC A01H1/04 A01G7/00 

FIELD: agriculture; crop production.

SUBSTANCE: method includes the following steps: a) sowing of said maize line in several places; b) determining a stress index for each location from step a), wherein determination of stress index involves measurement of one environment parameter with equal intervals during at least one period of time; c) measuring grain yield of said maize line for each location from step a); d) calculating a linear regression between the stress index from step b) and harvesting grain from step c); e) determination of tolerance to drought based on regression from stage d). Method comprises predicting drought tolerance in a non-phenotyped maize line with calculating a linear regression between a stress index and a grain yield using a model with random effects, integrating information on relative(s) of said maize line, for which this calculation was performed previously, preferably with inclusion of phenotypic data, as well as molecular markers and/or pedigree. Method involves comparing two or more lines of maize plants, including the stage of determining tolerance to drought in each of said plant lines, which are comparison objects, according to the method according to any of cl. 1–11 or drought tolerance for each of said plant lines, which are objects of comparison, according to the method of cl. 12. Values of endurance to drought in one line of maize plants with value of durability to drought, determined in other line(s) of maize plants. Method involves identification of QTL associated with drought tolerance in maize. It includes the stages of i) determination of tolerance to drought in individuals from maize population according to any of cl. 1–11 or drought endurance prediction in individuals from a maize population according to 12; ii) identifying at least one genomic marker which is genetically related to drought resistance determined at step i).

EFFECT: invention enables to determine tolerance to drought.

14 cl, 11 tbl, 6 ex