Detection of linkage disequilibrium QTLs controlling low-temperature growth and metabolite accumulations in an admixed breeding population of <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Leymus</Emphasis> wildryes

Low-temperature soluble carbohydrate accumulations are commonly associated with anthocyanin coloration, attenuated growth, and cold adaptation of cool-season grasses. A total of 647 AFLP markers were tested for associations with anthocyanin coloration, tiller formation, leaf formation, cumulative leaf length, percent soluble carbohydrate, and dry matter regrowth among replicated clones of an admixed Leymus wildrye breeding population evaluated in low-temperature growth chambers. The admixed breeding population was derived from a heterogeneous population of L. cinereus × L. triticoides F₁ hybrids, with two additional generations of open pollination. Two AFLP linkage maps, constructed from two full-sib mapping populations derived from the same F₁ hybrid population, were integrated to produce a framework consensus map used to examine the distribution of marker-trait associations in the admixed F₁OP₂ population. Thirty-seven linkage blocks, spanning 258 cM (13.6%) of the 1895 cM consensus map, contained 119 (50%) of the 237 markers showing at least one possible trait association (P < 0.05). Moreover, 28 (68%) of the 41 most significant marker-trait associations (P < 0.005) were located in 15 QTL linkage blocks spanning 112.9 cM (6%) of the linkage map. The coincidence of these 28 significant marker-trait associations, and many less significant associations, in 15 relatively small linkage blocks (0.6 cM to 21.3 cM) provides evidence of admixture linkage disequilibrium QTLs (ALD QTLs) in this heterogeneous breeding population. At least four of the remaining 13 putative marker-trait associations (P < 0.005) were located in genetic map regions lacking other informative markers. The complexity of marker-trait associations results from heterogeneity within and substantial divergence among the parental accessions.     

Mapping of QTL controlling tocopherol content in winter oilseed rape

Tocopherols are natural antioxidants in vegetable oils and are important dietary nutrients. Enhanced tocopherol content has become an important objective in oilseed rape breeding. A segregating DH population was tested for 2 years at two locations in replicated field trials. Genotypic differences occurred for α‐, γ‐ and total tocopherol content as well as α/γ‐tocopherol ratio, but highly significant genotype x environment interactions resulted in low heritabilities. Using a mixed‐model composite interval mapping approach between one and five QTL with additive and/or additive x environment interaction effects could be mapped for α‐, γ‐ and total tocopherol content and α/β‐tocopherol ratio. In addition, one to six locus pairs with epistatic interaction effects were identified, indicating a strong contribution of epistasis to trait variation. In total, the additive and epistatic effects explained between 28% (α‐tocopherol content) and 73% (total tocopherol content) of the genotypic variance in the population, with individual QTL and locus pairs contributing between 7.5 and 29.2% of variance. Considering the low heritabilities of the tocopherol traits, the results of this study indicate that marker‐assisted selection may be an efficient strategy in a breeding program for enhanced tocopherol content in rapeseed.     

Selection of wild Cicer accessions for the generation of mapping populations segregating for resistance to ascochyta blight

In order to determine genetically diverse parents for the generation of mapping populations segregating for resistance to ascochyta blight in wild Cicer species, the genetic diversity between a selection of resistant and susceptible accessions was assessed using molecular markers. Twenty Cicer accessions — comprising eight C. reticulatum accessions, six C. echinospermum accessions, five C. bijugum accessions, and one C. arietinum accession — were compared using a combination of seven RAPD primers and seven ISSR primers. A total of 231 polymorphic bands were scored and used to determine the genetic distances between accessions using Jaccard similarity coefficients. The most genetically diverse parents for the generation of intraspecific and interspecific populations segregating for resistance to ascochyta blight are reported. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

燕大1817/北农6号重组自交系群体穗部性状的QTL定位

小麦穗部性状与单株产量密切相关。本研究以小麦骨干亲本燕大1817与优良品系北农6号衍生的269个重组自交系为材料,通过在北京和河北石家庄的2年田间试验数据,利用本实验室已构建的高密度SNP和SSR遗传连锁图谱进行穗长、穗粒数和穗粒重QTL定位。采用完备复合区间作图法共检测到29个穗部性状加性效应QTL,其中10个穗长QTL分布于1B、2D、3A、3B、4A、5A、5B、6A和7D染色体上,解释的表型变异率为2.96%~9.63%,QSl.cau-4A.2在所有5个环境中均能被检测到,解释的表型变异为5.89%~9.62%,另有7个QTL能在2个或2个以上环境中被检测到;8个穗粒数相关QTL分布于1A、3A、3D、4A和5B染色体上,解释的表型变异为4.06%~11.17%,为单个环境QTL。11个与穗粒重相关QTL分布于1A、1B、2A、2D、3A、4D、5A、5B和6B染色体上,解释的表型变异为2.79%~16.12%,其中QGws.cau-1B、QGws.cau-3A和QGws.cau-6B.2在2个或者2个以上环境中能被检测到。另外,鉴定出6个分布于1A、2D、3A、4A和5B染色体上的QTL富集区段。     

Expression of a Triticum turgidum var. dicoccoides source of Fusarium head blight resistance transferred to synthetic hexaploid wheat

Yield and quality reductions caused by Fusarium head blight (FHB) have spurred spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) breeders to identify and develop new sources of host plant resistance. Four wheat synthetic hexaploids (×Aegilotriticum sp.) were developed, each having a quantitative trait locus (QTL), Qfhs.ndsu‐3AS, providing FHB resistance from Triticum turgidum L. var. dicoccoides chromosome 3A. Synthetics were produced by hybridizing a ‘Langdon’‐T. dicoccoides‐ recombinant chromosome 3A substitution line (2n = 4x = 28, AABB with two accessions of T. tauschii (2n= 2x = 14, DD). Synthetics were inoculated and evaluated for FHB resistance in two separate greenhouse seasons. One synthetic, 01NDSWG‐5, exhibited FHB severity ratings of 36% and 32% in the separate seasons, compared with ratings of 9% and 30% for ‘Alsen’, a FHB‐resistant spring cultivar, and ratings of 70% and 96% for ‘McNeal’, a susceptible spring cultivar, respectively. Synthetic × Alsen backcross‐derived lines were produced to initiate combining different sources of FHB resistance.     

Tagging quantitative trait loci associated with grain yield and root morphological traits in rice (Oryza sativa L.) under contrasting moisture regimes

Plant breeding for drought-prone habitats envisages a favorable combination of grain yield and drought resistance. Though several components enhancing drought resistance have been identified in rice,their association with grain yield, under low-moisture stress, has been established in very few instances. We attempt to study the associations between rice grain yield and root system parameters both at phenotypic and genotypic levels. The doubled haploid population of IR64/Azucena was evaluated for root related traits at peak vegetative stage and grain yield related traits under both low-moisture stress and non stress conditions. ‘Mean environment’ was computed for yield related traits. Correlation and QTL mapping was attempted to find out the associations. The correlation between maximum root length and grain yield was positive under stress and negative in non stress. Genotypes with thicker and deeper roots, manifested higher biomass and grain yield under stress. Only one QTL found to increase days to flowering in non stress was also found to influence root volume and dry weight negatively under stress. The study suggests that loci enhancing grain yield and related traits were not pleiotropic with loci for desirable root morphological traits studied under low-moisture stress at vegetative stage, in the genetic material used in the study. It is thus possible to combine higher grain yield and desirable root morphological traits, favorably, to enhance productivity of rice under low-moisture stress. In rainfed ecologies, where deep roots contribute to enhanced drought resistance in rice, the results indicate the possibility of combining drought resistance with higher levels of grain yield. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Detection and analysis of QTLs for ferrous iron toxicity tolerance in rice, Oryza sativa L.

A mapping population of 96 BC₁F₉lines (Backcross Inbred Lines: BILs),derived by a single-seed descent method rom a backcross of Nipponbare (japonica) / Kasalath (indica // Nippon are, was used to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for leaf bronzing index (LBI), stem dry weight (SDW), tiller number (TN) and root dry weight (RDW) under Fe²⁺ stress condition in rice. Two parents and 96 BILs were phenotyped for the traits by growing them in Fe²⁺ toxicity nutrient solution. A total of four QTLs were detected on chromosome 1 and 3, respectively, with LOD of QTLs ranging from 3.17 to 7.03. One QTL controlling LBI, DW, N and RDW was located at the region of C955-C885 on chromosome 1, and their contributions to whole variation were 20.5%, 36.9%, 43.9% and 38.8%,respectively. The QTL located at the region of C955-C885 on chromosome 1 may be important to ferrous iron toxicity tolerance in rice. Another QTL for SDW and RDW was located at the region of C25-C515 on chromosome 3, with respective contributions of 47.9% and 35.0% to whole variation. Further, two QTLs on chromosome 1 were located for RDW at the region of R2329-R210 and for TN at the region of R1928-C178. Comparing with the other mapping results, the QTL located at the region of C955-C885 on chromosome 1 was identical with the results reported previously. There is a linkage between a TL detected under Fe²⁺ stress condition for stem and root dry weight and a QTL detected under phosphorus-deficiency condition for dry weight on chromosome 3. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Detection of QTLs for white-back and basal-white grains caused by high temperature during ripening period in japonica rice

There is increasing evidence that global warming affects the development of rice. High temperatures during ripening increase the ratio of undesirable chalky grains followed by deteriorating grain appearance quality. In order to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling the occurrence of white-back and basal-white chalky grains of brown rice, QTL analysis was performed using recombinant inbred lines derived from a cross between two strains, ‘Tsukushiroman’ (sensitive to heat stress) and ‘Chikushi 52’ (tolerant of heat stress). The F₇ and F₈ lines were exposed to heat stress during the ripening period in two locations, Fukuoka and Kagoshima, in Japan. QTLs for white-back grains and basal-white grains were detected on chromosomes 1, 3, and 8, and those for basal-white grains were detected on chromosomes 2, 3, and 12. QTLs on chromosome 8 for white-back grains were shared in the plants grown in both locations. Near-isogenic lines (NILs), which harbored a segment from ‘Chikushi 52’ on chromosome 8 with the genetic background of ‘Tsukushiroman’, showed relatively lower ratios of white-back grains than ‘Tsukushiroman’. Therefore, insertion of the ‘Chikushi 52’ genomic region of the QTL on chromosome 8 can improve the quality of rice when it is grown under heat stress conditions.     

Genetic dissection of seed storability using two different populations with a same parent rice cultivar N22

Seed storability in rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important agronomic trait. Two segregating populations with N22 (indica) as a common parent, viz. a set of 122 backcross-inbred lines (BILs) derived from the backcross Nanjing35 (japonica)/N22//Nanjing35 and another population comprising 189 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from the cross of USSR5 (japonica) and N22, were studied to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling seed storability. Germination percentage (GP) was used to evaluate seed storability after aging treated under three different conditions, viz. natural, artificial and combined aging treatments. A total of seven QTLs were identified on chromosomes 1, 2, 5, 6 and 9. Among them, a major QTL, qSSn-9, was common in the two populations. In contrast, four QTLs (qSSnj-2-1, qSSn-2-2, qSSn-5 and qSSn-6) were detected in BILs and the QTL qSSn-1 was identified in RILs, which was a new QTL for seed storability. The N22-derived alleles increased the seed storability at all the loci except qSSnj-2-1. We also investigated the effect of QTLs using five selected lines with high storability from BILs and verified qSSn-5 with a near-isogenic line (NIL). These results provide an opportunity for pyramiding or map-based cloning major QTLs for seed storability in rice.     

Identification of QTLs for powdery mildew and scald resistance in barley

A population of 103 recombinant inbred lines (RILs, F₉-derived lines) developed from the two-row spring barley cross L94 × ‘Vada’ was evaluated under field conditions for resistance against powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei) and scald (Rhynchosporium secalis). Apart from the major resistance gene mlo on chromosome 4 (4H), three QTLs (Rbgq1, Rbgq2 and Rbgq3) for resistance against powdery mildew were detected on chromosomes 2 (2H), 3 (3H), and 7 (5H), respectively. Rbgq1 and Rbgq2 have not been reported before, and did not map to a chromosome region where a major gene for powdery mildew had been reported. Four QTLs (Rrsq1, Rrsq2, Rrsq3 and Rrsq4) for resistance against scald were detected on chromosomes 3 (3H), 4 (4H) and 6 (6H). All four mapped to places where QTLs for scald resistance had been reported before in different populations.