Fertilizer Effects on Endosperm Physicochemical Properties and Resistance to Larger Grain Borer, <i>Prostephanus truncatus</i> (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), in Malawian Local Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) Varieties: Potential for Utilization of Ca and Mg Nutrition
Ephantus Nguma,
Chandiona Munthali,
Daiki Murayama,
Kazumitsu Onishi,
Masahiko Mori,
Rintaro Kinoshita,
Shinji Yamashita,
Mikio Kinoshita,
Masayuki Tani,
Mari Palta,
Jiwan P. Palta,
Hiroshi Koaze,
Daigo Aiuchi
Affiliations
Ephantus Nguma
Department of Life and Food Sciences, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
Chandiona Munthali
Department of Agro-Environmental Science, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
Daiki Murayama
Department of Food Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Babcock Hall, 1605 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706, USA
Kazumitsu Onishi
Department of Agro-Environmental Science, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
Masahiko Mori
Research Center for Global Agromedicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
Rintaro Kinoshita
Research Center for Global Agromedicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
Shinji Yamashita
Department of Life and Food Sciences, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
Mikio Kinoshita
Department of Life and Food Sciences, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
Masayuki Tani
Research Center for Global Agromedicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
Mari Palta
School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WARF, 610 Walnut St., Madison, WI 53726, USA
Jiwan P. Palta
Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 490 Moore Hall, 1575 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706, USA
Hiroshi Koaze
Research Center for Global Agromedicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
Daigo Aiuchi
Research Center for Global Agromedicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
Maize grain hardness influences storage pest resistance, a key characteristic valued by smallholder farmers. The structural changes in the endosperm determine grain hardness and are influenced by agronomic practices. The purpose of this study was to establish whether supply of calcium and magnesium based fertilizers can alter physicochemical properties of local and hybrid maize varieties and reduce the infestation by larger grain borer (Prostephanus truncatus (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae)) during storage. Two local and one hybrid maize varieties commonly grown by smallholder farmers in Malawi were cultivated under three fertilizer treatments (NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium), NPK plus gypsum, and NPK plus dolomite). After harvest, the grains were classified into flint and dent types, followed by P. truncatus infestation and determination of their physicochemical properties. The addition of gypsum and dolomite fertilizers led to higher levels of amylose, total zein and β-14 zein, traits associated with kernel hardness, compared to the application of NPK fertilizer. Moreover, local maize varieties showed higher resistance to P. truncatus infestation, hardness and biochemical properties associated with hardness (total zein, α-19 and β-14 zein, starch lysophosphatidylcholine, and non-starch free fatty acid) compared to hybrid variety. Our study suggests the potential for utilizing Ca and Mg nutrition in maize to improve kernel hardness, thus adoption of gypsum and dolomite by smallholder farmers may be beneficial against P. truncatus during storage.
