Zea mays Transcriptome or Gene expression. Zea mays

Among the mineral elements necessary for plant growth, nitrogen (N) is the macronutrient required in larger amounts. The optimization of N use efficiency (NUE) in maize could be obtained through both genetic improvement and agronomic practices in order to enhance production and reduce the negative impact of the N fertilizer use on the environment. Physiological characterizations of inbred lines with different NUE are available in maize. Overall design: Maize (Zea mays L.) seeds of two inbred lines (T250, Lo5) previously soaked in running water for 24 h, were allowed to germinate in the dark at 28°C for 72 h over an aerated solution of 0.5 mM CaSO4. Half part of two-d-old seedlings was grown in a nutrient solution with 200 μM of KNO3 (treated samples, +NO3-) and the other half with appropriate amounts of the corresponding chloride salt (KCl) (control samples, -NO3-). Three biological replicates were obtained by three independent experiments and collecting roots of treated (200 μM NO3-) and not treated plants after 0, 1, 2 e 4 h for Lo5 inbred line and after 0, 5, 11 and 12 h for T250.