The candidate QTLs affecting phosphorus absorption efficiency and root weight in maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

A maize F₂ population was first used to construct a genetic linkage map of Chromosome 6 covering 117.6 cM with an average interval of 3.68 cM between adjacent markers. Based on composite interval mapping (CIM), the quantitative trait loci (QTL) for phosphorus absorption efficiency (PAE) and root-related traits was detected in four environments, i.e., Kaixian County under deficient phosphorus (KXDP), Kaixian County under normal phosphorus (KXNP), SUDP1, and SUDP2. QTLs affecting root weight (RW) were detected simultaneously at the dupssr15 locus region (bin 6.06) on Chromosome 6 in the four environments, while QTL affecting taproot length and fiber number was only detected in one or two environments. The result suggested that taproot length and fiber number were more easily affected by the environment than PAE and RW. The alleles originating from 082 increased PAE and RW on Chromosome 6. The QTL on bin 6.06 explained 4%–10% and 4%–8% of the total phenotypic variance of PAE and RW, respectively, and the estimates of the genetic effects presented dominance and overdominance. The QTL for RW in the dupssr15 locus is the minor QTLs environment interactive effects, which should be particularly useful in MAS manipulation of breeding maize.

Key words： maize; QTL analysis; candidate QTLs; phosphorus absorption efficiency; root-related traits; four environments

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by both Chongqing Key Scientific And Technological Project “Elite Variety Renovation of Rice and Maize”, China (No. CSTC2007AB1045) and Chinese Key Scientific And Technological Project (No. 2006BAD13B03).

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