Qiaohong Ying , Qiong Chen , Kaozu Lei , Huazhou Liu

Zhejiang Kecheng Seed Industry Co., Ltd., Wenzhou, 325019, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Molecular Plant Breeding, 2025, Vol. 16, No. 1   doi: 10.5376/mpb.2025.16.0010
Received: 19 Jan., 2025    Accepted: 21 Feb., 2025    Published: 28 Mar., 2025

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.

Ying Q.B., Chen Q., Lei K.Z., and Liu H.Z., 2025, Case study: breeding maize varieties with high protein content, Molecular Plant Breeding, 16(1): 93-104 (doi: 10.5376/mpb.2025.16.0010)

Abstract This study give an account of the breeding efforts of high-protein maize varieties, particularly Quality Protein Maize (QPM), and their potential to address malnutrition and improve the nutritional value of maize. Compared to conventional maize, QPM varieties contain higher levels of essential amino acids such as lysine and tryptophan, which are crucial for human and animal nutrition. Research has shown that the adoption of QPM significantly improves children's growth, indicating its potential to combat malnutrition in developing regions. However, QPM breeding still faces challenges, such as reduced yield and insufficient agronomic traits. Future research directions include integrating molecular breeding with conventional methods, exploring genetic loci associated with protein synthesis and stress tolerance, and developing QPM varieties that are both nutritionally superior and agronomically viable.

High-protein maize; Quality protein maize (QPM); Malnutrition; Molecular breeding; Essential amino acids