AI Insight
Researchers identified ZmSAUR72, a Small Auxin Up RNA protein in maize, as a key regulator of silk elongation. This protein promotes silk growth by modulating H+-ATPase activity, which influences cell expansion in the silk tissue. ZmSAUR72 is a critical determinant of the anthesis-silking interval, the timing gap between pollen shed and silk emergence, a trait closely linked to drought resilience in maize.
Why it matters
Reducing the anthesis-silking interval under water-deficit conditions is a major breeding target for improving maize yield stability in drought-prone environments. Understanding the molecular mechanism behind this trait could enable targeted genetic improvements in one of the world's most important staple crops.
Nature, Published online: 20 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10566-9
The Small Auxin Up RNA (SAUR) protein ZmSAUR72 in maize (Zea mays) promotes silk growth via regulation of H+-ATPase activity, and is a key determinant of the anthesis-silking interval and thus resilience to drought.
Source: A SAUR gene enhances maize drought resilience by promoting silk elongation