Association between Total Carotenoid Content of Maize Kernels ( Zea mays L.) and Polymorphic Site INDEL1 in PSY1 Gene

Maize is the only major cereal crop that can naturally accumulate appreciable levels of carotenoids which are the source of provitamin A. The association of the total carotenoid content in maize kernels with allelic variation PSY1 InDel1 was estimated. We used a collection of 54 maize genotypes of different ecogeographical origins, methods of PCR analysis, spectrophotometry, and statistical analysis in this study. The total carotenoid content of genotypes with a favorable allele of InDel1 is 0.60 mg/100 g, which is significantly higher than that of the samples with an unfavorable allele (0.43 mg/100 g). Thus, the use of PCR-based markers for PSY1 InDell polymorphism is a reliable method for identifying genotypes with high carotenoid accumulation in maize kernels.