Molecular Plant Breeding 2025, Vol.16, No.2, 146-155 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/mpb 146 CaseStudy Open Access Integrating Haploid Breeding and Germplasm Innovation in Maize Disease Resistance Breeding, Case Study Lin Zhao, Letan Luo, Erkui Yue, Jiang Shi Institute of Crop (Ecology) Research, Hangzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: tomatoman@126.com Molecular Plant Breeding, 2025, Vol.16, No.2 doi: 10.5376/mpb.2025.16.0015 Received: 19 Mar., 2025 Accepted: 21 Apr., 2025 Published: 30 Apr., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Zhao 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: Zhao L., Luo L.T., Yue E.K., and Shi J., 2025, Integrating haploid breeding and germplasm innovation in maize disease resistance breeding, case study, Molecular Plant Breeding, 16(2): 146-155 (doi: 10.5376/mpb.2025.16.0015) Abstract This study analyzed how doubled haploid breeding and germplasm innovation can achieve synergistic effects in disease-resistant maize breeding, with case studies exploring their application in resistance breeding against southern rust, northern leaf blight, and multiple disease resistance. The study highlights the successful applications of these technologies and their future prospects. It was found that doubled haploid breeding significantly accelerates the selection process for disease-resistant traits, particularly enabling rapid screening of resistant genotypes during the induction and doubling stages. Concurrently, germplasm innovation offers a wealth of genetic resources for disease resistance breeding by utilizing local germplasm, wild relatives, and exotic resources to identify and incorporate new resistance genes, thus further improving breeding efficiency. This study demonstrates how these methods can substantially enhance the efficiency and precision of disease-resistant maize breeding, providing an effective technical pathway for future disease control and crop improvement in maize. Keywords Maize; Doubled haploid breeding; Germplasm innovation; Disease-resistant breeding; Synergy 1 Introduction Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important food crops globally, serving as a staple for millions of people and playing a critical role in food security, animal feed, and biofuel production (Yang et al., 2017; Prasanna et al., 2021; Wang et al., 2022; Hou et al., 2024). Its significance is underscored by its extensive cultivation and the substantial economic value it generates. However, maize production is constantly threatened by various biotic stresses, including diseases caused by pathogens, which can lead to significant yield losses and impact food security (Nelson et al., 2017; Yang et al., 2017; López-Castillo et al., 2018). Effective disease control is therefore essential to ensure stable maize production and to meet the growing global demand for this vital crop. Maize is susceptible to a wide range of diseases, including those caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes. These diseases can severely impact maize yields and quality, posing a major challenge for breeders (Nelson et al., 2017; Yang et al., 2017; Zhu et al., 2021). Traditional breeding methods have made significant strides in developing disease-resistant varieties, but the complexity of host-pathogen interactions and the need for resistance that is both durable and broad-spectrum remain significant hurdles (Nelson et al., 2017; Zhu et al., 2021). The genetic basis of disease resistance in maize is often complex, involving multiple genes and pathways, which complicates the breeding process (Nelson et al., 2017; Yang et al., 2017). Doubled haploid (DH) technology has emerged as a powerful tool in modern maize breeding, offering a rapid and efficient method for developing pure lines (Dwivedi et al., 2015; Andorf et al., 2019; Meng et al., 2021). DH breeding involves the induction of haploids, which are then doubled to produce homozygous lines in a single generation, significantly accelerating the breeding process compared to traditional methods. This technology not only speeds up the development of new varieties but also enhances the precision of breeding programs by fixing desirable traits more effectively (Dwivedi et al., 2015; Meng et al., 2021). The integration of DH technology with other advanced breeding techniques, such as genomics-assisted breeding and high-throughput phenotyping, holds great promise for developing disease-resistant maize varieties (Dwivedi et al., 2015; Meng et al., 2021; Prasanna et al., 2021).
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