Singh, AshutoshKUMARI, MANISHA2023-04-292023-04-292021M/AB/458/2019-20https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810196918The transcription factors APETALA2/ETHYLENE-RESPONSIVE ELEMENT BINDING PROTEIN (AP2/EREBP) are one of the largest and most conserved gene families in plants, and they play critical roles in abiotic stress response. However, very limited information available about the AP2/EREBP family genes in maize. In this context, a genome-wide survey was done to identify the AP2/EREBP genes in maize (Zea mays L.), and total 54 AP2/EREBP family of genes were identified. The distribution of these 54 genes were irregular on the 10 chromosomes of maize. The phylogenetic analysis conducted for these 54 genes of AP2/EREBP TFs and it divided into ten groups, namely groups I to X. To study the role of AP2/EREBP group of genes in drought and salt stress at seedling stage of maize. The two contrasting inbred lines (BTM-6 and BTM-14) were chosen for gene expression study. The inbreds were grown in pot. The fourteen days old seedlings were exposed to 20 % PEG (3h and 6h) and 200Mm NaCl (3h and 6h) for drought and salt treatments respectively. The mRNA of each treatment of 14 days old seedlings extracted in two replication and cDNA synthesized. The differential expression was performed using qRT-PCR and result clearly revealed that under drought stress GRMZM2G013657_P01, GRMZM2G021573_P01 and GRMZM2G022359_P01 were unregulated after 6 hour of drought treatment in cultivar BTM-14.GRMZM2G028151_P01, GRMZM2G076602_P01 and GRMZM2G086573_P01 were up-regulated after 6 hour salinity treatment in cultivar BTM-6. In case of GRMZM2G073982_P01 under drought treatment up- regulated in both 3 hour and 6 hour in cultivar BTM-14 and under 6 hour salinity treatment in cultivar BTM-6. GRMZM2G076602_P01 was up regulated after 3 j hour and 6 hour of drought treatment. GRMZM2G113078_P01 showed up regulation under drought treatment at 3 hour and 6hour in both cultivar (BTM-6 and BTM-14) and at 3 hour salinity treatment up-regulation was observed and at 6 h down regulation were observed in cultivar BTM-14. The expression study clearly showed the AP2 gene family have role in drought and salinity stress. The two inbreds are contrasting for heat and drought stress, So it respond differently.EnglishThesis