Locating QTLs controlling several adult root traits in an elite Chinese hybrid rice

Abstract

This study aimed to elucidate the genetics of the adult root system in elite Chinese hybrid rice. Several adult root traits in a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of Xieyou 9308 and two backcross F1 (BCF1) populations derived from the RILs were phenotyped under hydroponic culture at heading stage for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and other statistical analysis. There a total of eight QTLs detected for the root traits. Among of them, a pleiotropic QTL was repeatedly flanked by RM180 and RM5436 on the short arm of chromosome 7 for multiple traits across RILs and its BCF1 populations, accounting for 6.88% to 25.26% of the phenotypic variances. Only additive/dominant QTLs were detected for the root traits. These results can serve as a foundation for facilitating future cloning and molecular breeding.

Keywords: BCF(1); CIM; MIM; Molecular mapping; Oryza sativa L.; QTL; Quantitative trait locus; RD; RDW; RIL; RIL and BCF(1) populations; RL; RSA; RT; RV; Root; SSR; TRL; XBR; XQZB; XQZB/RILs; Xieqingzao; ZH9308; ZH9308/RILs; ZHR; Zhonghui 9308; backcross F(1); broad-sense heritability; composite interval mapping; h(2)(B); multiple interval mapping; number of root tips; quantitative trait loci; recombinant inbred line; root diameter; root dry weight; root length; root surface area; root volume; simple sequence repeat; total root length.