Maize Genomics and Genetics 2025, Vol.16, No.3, 108-118 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/mgg 108 Review Article Open Access Advancements in the Molecular Mechanisms of Heat Tolerance in Maize: Gene Regulation and Physiological Responses Jiamin Wang, Xian Zhang, Yunchao Huang Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China Corresponding author: yunchao.huang@hitar.org Maize Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol.16, No.3 doi: 10.5376/mgg.2025.16.0011 Received: 12 Mar., 2025 Accepted: 22 Apr., 2025 Published: 08 May, 2025 Copyright © 2025 Wang et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Wang J.M., Zhang X., and Huang Y.C., 2025, Advancements in the molecular mechanisms of heat tolerance in maize: gene regulation and physiological responses, Maize Genomics and Genetics, 16(3): 108-118 (doi: 10.5376/mgg.2025.16.0011) Abstract This study reviews recent advancements in the genetic regulation and physiological adaptations of maize under heat stress. It focuses on key regulatory networks, including heat shock proteins (HSPs), transcription factors (HSFs, AP2/ERF, and bZIP), and signal transduction pathways such as calcium signaling, MAPK cascades, and ABA-mediated responses. The study also analyzes the physiological and biochemical adaptation mechanisms of maize to heat stress, including antioxidant defense systems, osmolyte accumulation, and photosynthetic regulation. It highlights the genetic progress in breeding for heat tolerance, such as QTL mapping, genomic selection, and CRISPR-based gene editing. Through case studies of heat-tolerant maize varieties and field trials, this study provides practical insights into integrating molecular breeding and agronomic strategies. This study emphasizes the combination of molecular breeding and precision agriculture to cultivate maize varieties that adapt to climate change, thereby ensuring sustainable production under high temperature environments. Keywords Maize (Zeamays L.); Heat tolerance; Gene regulation; Genetic breeding; Physiological response 1 Introduction Maize (Zea mays L.) is an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Zea in the Poaceae family. It is native to Central and South America and is now cultivated all over the world. It is an important food crop and feed crop, and is also the crop with the highest total output in the world. Its planting area and total output are second only to rice and wheat. As a crop mainly grown in tropical and subtropical regions, maize is particularly sensitive to environmental stress, among which heat stress has become a key factor restricting its sustained high yield. High temperature environment, especially during key growth periods such as flowering and filling, can seriously interfere with the physiological processes of maize, destroy cell homeostasis, and ultimately lead to a decrease in yield (Wu et al., 2020; Liu et al., 2022; Chen et al., 2023). In recent years, the negative impact of climate change on agricultural production has become increasingly significant. In the long run, extreme climate events (such as natural disasters such as droughts and floods) have occurred frequently, directly leading to a reduction in crop yields. As a crop that is sensitive to temperature and water conditions, corn requires suitable environmental conditions for its growth and development. When climate conditions deviate from the optimal range, corn yields will be significantly affected. Specifically, when the temperature exceeds the optimal growth range of corn (usually 30 °C~35 °C), plant photosynthesis is inhibited, and problems such as premature leaf aging, reproductive development disorders, and poor grain development occur frequently. These adverse effects often work in synergy with abiotic stress factors such as drought, further exacerbating yield losses (Saini et al., 2021; El-Sappah et al., 2022). Rising temperatures may also induce outbreaks of corn pests and diseases (such as borers and diseases), posing a double threat to corn production. This study will systematically review the research progress on the molecular mechanism of corn heat tolerance in recent years, focusing on the regulation of heat-responsive genes, the mechanism of action of transcription factors and signaling pathways, and the adaptive changes of corn at the physiological and biochemical levels, and introduce how new technologies in genomics and functional analysis can accelerate the discovery of key
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