Novel insect resistance approaches against post-harvest pests in native maize

Overview

This research program focuses on discovering novel genetic and biochemical bases of insect resistance in native Mexican maize to combat post-harvest pests during storage. By applying modern integrative omics approaches, including genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic analyses, the team has identified at least three previously unreported resistance mechanisms. These discoveries provide new targets for plant breeding programs aimed at reducing losses in stored maize, a critical issue for food security and agricultural productivity. The work leverages the rich genetic diversity of native Mexican maize landraces as a natural reservoir of pest resistance traits.

Technical specifications

Key features:

• Integrative omics model combining genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data to map resistance traits
• Wide panel of native Mexican maize accessions evaluated for multiple resistance bases and mechanisms
• Identification of three novel resistance mechanisms not previously reported in the literature
• Focus on post-harvest storage pests, addressing a major source of crop loss after harvest
• Application of extreme genetic background differences to uncover rare and novel resistance alleles

How it works:

The approach uses the natural genetic diversity of native maize populations as a discovery platform. By screening a broad panel of accessions under controlled conditions and applying multi-omics profiling, the team can link specific genes, proteins, and metabolites to insect resistance phenotypes. This systems-level view enables the identification of resistance mechanisms that single-discipline approaches would miss, providing multiple candidate targets for marker-assisted or genomic selection breeding.

Technology readiness level

The research is at an advanced discovery and validation stage. Initial validation has been completed using a wide panel of native Mexican maize tested with the integrative omics model, yielding at least three confirmed novel resistance mechanisms. Future validation will expand the panel, continue multi-omics evaluation for additional resistance traits, and exploit extreme differences in genetic background to discover further novel mechanisms. The findings are positioned to feed directly into maize breeding pipelines for post-harvest pest resistance.