BIOCHEMICAL MARKERS OF FEMALE RECEPTIVITY IN MAIZE (ZEA-MAYS L) ASSESSED USING INVITRO FERTILIZATION

In order to better understand female receptivity in Zea mays L., the various stages of spikelet development were estimated by the total silk length, and assessed for their fertilization ability using an in vitro pollination system. Developmental variations in protein and enzyme patterns of silks and ovaries were analyzed from the young to the senescent spikelets in relationship with the receptivity. While few differences were observed in the SDS-PAGE patterns, we have characterized a set of developmentally regulated silk proteins after IEF and total protein staining, two of them likely corresponding to glycoproteins. Some of these tissue specific and stage specific proteins have been correlated with the receptivity state and may be used as markers. Whereas the esterase activity detection remains very similar throughout spikelet development, the level of general activity of peroxidase isozymes is very high in the silks and increases during the development. The peroxidase activity detection may be useful in monitoring the changes in stigma receptivity. © 1990.