Chemosystematics of surface lipids from maize and some related species

Abstract

Chemical compositions of waxes from modern corn and its putative ancestors, annual teosinte ( Zea mays subsp. mexicana and subsp. parviglumis) and diploid perennial teosinte (Z. diploperennis) are reported. The common components are alkanes, esters, aldehydes, alcohols and acids. Comparison is also made with waxes from Coix lachryma, a species from a genus distantly related to modern corn. The diploid perennial teosinte shows a distinct profile of surface lipids, in which alcohols are present at lower concentrations. The major homologue of alcohols and aldehydes is C 32. Alkanes chain lengths provide a criterion to classify the related species into different groups. The C 33 homologue is present in unusual high amounts in teosintes, whereas odd and even alkanes characterize Coix waxes. Ontogenic variations are also observed in homologue composition. In general, alkane chain lengthening is associated with chain length shortening of aldehydes and alcohols.