Identification of miRNAs and Their Target Genes Associated with Sweet Corn Seed Vigor by Combined Small RNA and Degradome Sequencing

High seed vigor is significant for agriculture. Low seed vigor of sweet corn hindered the popularization of sweet corn (Zea mays L. saccharata Sturt). To better understand the involvement and regulatory mechanism of miRNAs with seed vigor, small RNA libraries from seeds non-artificially aged and artificially aged for 2 days were generated by small RNA sequencing. A total of 27 differentially expressed miRNAs were discovered, of which 10 were further confirmed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, targets of miRNAs were identified by degradome sequencing. A total of 1142 targets that were potentially cleaved by 131 miRNAs were identified. Gene ontology (GO) annotations of target transcripts indicated that 26 target genes cleaved by 9 differentially expressed miRNAs might play roles in the regulation of seed vigor, such as peroxidase superfamily protein targeted by PC-5p-213179_17 playing a role in the oxidation–reduction process and response to oxidative stress. These findings provide valuable information to understand the involvement of miRNAs with seed vigor.