Résumé
Maize is a pillar of the French forage system and its feeding value is one of the criteria used for entry of hybrid varieties in the official French catalogue. This feeding value is calculated by estimating the quantity of milk produced by a kilogram of dry forage under a unit called "UFL" (milk forage equivalence unit). This criterion is directly related to dry matter digestibility, which can be improved by increasing cell wall digestibility. Since maize for cattle feeding is mainly grown under rainfed conditions, its yield is jeopardized by climate change. On the other hand, severe water deficit has been shown to increase maize cell wall digestibility, which is associated with changes in cell wall composition and histological profiles in the stem of maize inbred lines. In the frame of the MAMMA MIA project, we therefore aim to determine whether we can increase UFL while maintaining forage maize yield in the current climatic context.