Fig. 1

Viviparous phenotype of vp2 mutant A: ear and kernels phenotypes of the vp2 heterozygous mutant at 25 days after pollination, scale bar: 1 cm; B: longitudinal sections of normal kernels (WT) and viviparous kernels (vp2) harvested at 18 d, 21 d, and 25 d; bar: 500 μm."

Table 1

Primers used in this study"

Table 2

Segregation of normal and viviparous kernels on vp2 self-pollinated heterozygous ears"

Fig. 2

Vp2 encodes p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase ZmHPPD1 A: gene mapping of vp2 mutant genes by BSR-Seq; B: gene differences between B73 and vp2 mutant materials; C: expression of ZmHPPD1 in vp2 mutants."

Fig. 3

Allelic test of hppd1 with vp2 by heterozygous mutants A: gene structure of ZmHPPD1 and mutation site of hppd1; B: identification of Mu transposon insertion in hppd1; C: ear and kernels phenotypes of hppd1 heterozygous mutants; D: the ear and kernels phenotypes of the hybrid between hppd1 and vp2."

Table 3

Separation of normal and viviparous kernels on hppd1 self-pollinated heterozygous ears and the crosses of vp2 and hppd1 heterozygous ears"

Fig. 4

Analysis of endogenous hormone in the kernels of WT and vp2 A: ABA; B: ABA-GE; C: SA; D: IAA; E: SL; F: JA; G: CK; H: ETH. ** indicates significant correlation at the P < 0.01."

Fig. 5

Content of related metabolites in the ABA synthesis pathway A: (E/Z)-phytoene; B: α-carotene; C: lutein; D: β-carotene; E: violaxanthin; F: zeaxanthin. *, ** indicate significant correlation at the P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively."

Fig. 6

ABA biosynthetic pathway of WT and vp2 A: the ABA biosynthesis pathway of WT; B: the ABA biosynthesis pathway of vp2 mutant. In the metabolic pathway, green indicates a decrease of metabolite, and red indicates an increase of metabolite."