Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Two Contrasting Maize Inbred Lines Provides Insights on Molecular Mechanisms of Stalk Rot Resistance

Maize stalk rot caused by Fusarium graminearum can lead to severe losses and accumulation of mycotoxins with detrimental effects on livestock health. Because few management strategies are available, the development of resistant varieties is considered the most cost-effective way to control the disease. However, the stalk-tissue-specific mechanisms underlying resistance to F. graminearum remain poorly understood, although it is believed to be strongly influenced by environmental factors. In this study, we performed a temporal transcriptome analysis of two maize inbred lines with contrasting responses to stalk rot using gene expression profiling. We observed differential downregulation of gene expression during the first 2 weeks in a resistant inbred line inoculated with F. graminearum. Time-course gene ontology enrichment analysis suggests that resistance may be caused by a modulation of gene expression associated with redox homeostasis, hormone biosynthesis, cytoskeleton activity, and cell wall remodeling. We validated our gene expression profiling data by measuring the expression of 10 differentially expressed genes using quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. Our analyses also revealed the effect of two environmental conditions with contrasting temperatures and relative humidity on the resistant phenotype and gene expression. This research expands our knowledge of molecular events underlying resistance to stalk rot and the effect of environmental conditions on the disease interaction. Our findings can be exploited for the development of resistant varieties.Copyright (c) 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.