Domestication followed by selective breeding made maize an amazing crop, however, it leads to the loss of many allelic forms of those traits which were subjected to intensive selection. Such allelic forms can be recapitulated by domesticating wild alleles to diversify the germplasm and enhance the potential of maize. Teosinte, the wild relative of maize, possesses diverse novel alleles for resistance to abiotic-biotic stresses, yield improvement as well as quality enhancement. Evaluation of teosinte derived maize lines exhibited significant diversification in several agronomical traits, ear and kernel traits, yield, and adaptation. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs)/genes, after several genetical investigations on different beneficial traits, have been mapped using different mapping populations. Gene complexes in teosinte can be a great scientific weapon for agronomical trait improvement as well as increasing the resiliency. Wild relatives being promising genetic resources have not been investigated and validated comprehensively and therefore remained underutilized. In the paper, we have discussed about wild relatives, their status of utilization and prospects in maize improvement.

驯化后再进行选择性育种，使玉米成为了一种了不起的作物，但是，这导致许多特征的等位基因形式丧失，这些特征需要进行大量选择。可以通过驯化野生等位基因来概括此类等位基因形式，以使种质多样化并增强玉米的潜力。玉米的野生近缘种Teosinte具有多种新颖的等位基因，可抵抗非生物生物胁迫，提高产量并提高品质。teosinte衍生的玉米品系的评估在几种农艺性状，穗和仁性状，产量和适应性方面表现出明显的多样化。在对不同的有益性状进行了数次遗传研究之后，使用不同的作图群体对数量性状基因座（QTL）/基因进行了作图。teosinte中的基因复合物可以成为改善农艺性状并提高适应力的强大科学武器。尚未探究和证实野生动植物是有前途的遗传资源，因此仍未得到充分利用。在本文中，我们讨论了野生亲缘种，其利用状况以及在玉米改良中的前景。