Genetic Characterization and Breeding of North Korean High Oil Corn as a Multipurpose Biofuel Crop

Corn with a high oil content can lead to the production of both biodiesel and lignocellulosic ethanol from a single crop. The University of Minnesota has been gifted a sample of North Korean High Oil (KHO) germplasm. Our analysis showed a 21% oil concentration in KHO compared with 3-4% in typical dent corn. Compared with dent corn, KHO had a two-fold increase in oil concentration in the embryo and a three-fold increase in embryo size. In addition, the oleic acid level in KHO was elevated at the expense of linoleic acid. In a QTL mapping study, a marker for the diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) gene accounted for 26% of the observed variation and was predicted to lead to a 2% increase in oil concentration. Preliminary validation experiments, however, suggested that DGAT leads to only a 0.7% increase in oil concentration in a recipient dent line. In gene expression experiments with KHO and dent line A619, more than 1,000 genes had at least a two-fold change between the two parental lines and about 500 genes had at least a five-fold change. Our current efforts are focused on validating and fine mapping two additional QTL for oil concentration. We are also characterizing 50 doubled haploid lines developed from KHO for their oil concentration and agronomic performance. We hope to release the best doubled haploid lines in 2012.