affy_zeawall_ril_maize - Expression studies in 5 early maize RIL with contracted allelic patterns at major QTL posititions

affy_zeawall_ril_maize - Four major QTL explaining lignin content and cell wall degradability variation have been identified in the F288 x F271 RIL progeny (Roussel et al., 2002, Maydica 47: 9-20). Gene expression has been considered as a way in identification of candidate gene underlying QTL. Five lines chosen for their allelic pattern at four main QTL were considered for expression studies, two lines with all four favorable alleles (RIL99, RIL54), two lines with the unfavorable allele at bin 6.06 QTL position (RIL39 , RIL71), and one line with the unfavorable allele at bin 9.02 QTL position (RIL118). Expression study will be investigated in ear internode at two stages emerging tassel and early silking stages with two replicates. Plants were cropped at INRA Lusignan (Vienne, France) in 2009 in a bloc design with two four-row replicates. Below-ear internodes of five representative RIL plants of one row in each replicate were harvested at the two stages and pooled. Keywords: genotype comparison, time course 20 arrays - maize