FORTY YEARS OF TROPICAL MAIZE PHYSIOLOGY: FROM CARBON PARTITIONING TO SYSTEMS BIOLOGY IN THE INTEGRATION BETWEEN GENE, METABOLISM, AND AGRONOMIC RESILIENCE

Abstract

Over the past four decades, the Magalhães–Durães group has reshaped the eco-physiology of tropical maize by establishing an integrated conceptual framework that links morphological, metabolic, structural, and molecular processes. Early studies defined the functional basis of productivity by demonstrating how carbon partitioning, harvest index, and stem reserves coordinate yield under tropical conditions. Subsequent advances revealed pioneering mechanisms of metabolic plasticity, consolidating the view of source sink regulation and the integration of carbon and nitrogen metabolism as central determinants of physiological efficiency. Research on flooding tolerance, which culminated in the Saracura variety, showed that resilience arises from coordinated responses involving structural reinforcement, redox homeostasis, and calcium-mediated signaling, marking a scientific milestone for tropical cereals. In acidic, phosphorus-deficient soils, the group demonstrated that the root is the functional core of adaptation, integrating architecture, aluminum tolerance, and maintenance of water flux under drought. The incorporation of microbial and chemical biostimulants further enhanced resilience by modulating photosynthesis, antioxidant metabolism, and plant water status. Most recently, the group unified precision phenotyping into a systems-biology model, positioning tropical maize as a global reference for understanding physiological resilience under multiple environmental stresses.