Associative and Physical Mapping of Markers Related to Fusarium in Maize Resistance, Obtained by Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS)

Aleksandra Sobiech; Agnieszka Tomkowiak; Bartosz Nowak; Jan Bocianowski; Łukasz Wolko; Julia Spychała

doi:10.3390/ijms23116105

Associative and Physical Mapping of Markers Related to Fusarium in Maize Resistance, Obtained by Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS)

Int J Mol Sci. 2022 May 29;23(11):6105. doi: 10.3390/ijms23116105.

Authors

Aleksandra Sobiech¹, Agnieszka Tomkowiak¹, Bartosz Nowak², Jan Bocianowski³, Łukasz Wolko⁴, Julia Spychała¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Dojazd 11, 60-632 Poznań, Poland.
² Smolice Plant Breeding Ltd., Co., National Research Institute Group, Smolice 146, 63-740 Kobylin, Poland.
³ Department of Mathematical and Statistical Methods, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznań, Poland.
⁴ Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Dojazd 11, 60-632 Poznań, Poland.

Abstract

On the basis of studies carried out in the last few years, it is estimated that maize diseases cause yield losses of up to 30% each year. The most dangerous diseases are currently considered to be caused by fungi of the genus Fusarium, which are the main culprits of root rot, ear rots, and stalk rot. Early plant infection causes grain diminution, as well as a significant deterioration in nutritional value and fodder quality due to the presence of harmful mycotoxins. Therefore, the aim of the research was to identify new markers of the SilicoDArT and SNP type, which could be used for the mass selection of varieties resistant to fusarium. The plant material consisted of 186 inbred maize lines. The lines came from experimental plots belonging to two Polish breeding companies: Plant Breeding Smolice Ltd., (Co., Kobylin, Poland). Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute-National Research Institute Group (51°41'23.16″ N, 17°4'18.241″ E), and Małopolska Plant Breeding Kobierzyce, Poland Ltd., (Co., Kobierzyce, Poland) (50°58'19.411″ N, 16°55'47.323″ E). As a result of next-generation sequencing, a total of 81,602 molecular markers were obtained, of which, as a result of the associative mapping, 2962 (321 SilicoDArT and 2641 SNP) significantly related to plant resistance to fusarium were selected. Out of 2962 markers significantly related to plant resistance in the fusarium, seven markers (SilicoDArT, SNP) were selected, which were significant at the level of 0.001. They were used for physical mapping. As a result of the analysis, it was found that two out of seven selected markers (15,097-SilicoDArT and 58,771-SNP) are located inside genes, on chromosomes 2 and 3, respectively. Marker 15,097 is anchored to the gene encoding putrescine N-hydroxycinnamoyltransferase while marker 58,771 is anchored to the gene encoding the peroxidase precursor 72. Based on the literature data, both of these genes may be associated with plant resistance to fusarium. Therefore, the markers 15,097 (SilicoDArT) and 58,771 (SNP) can be used in breeding programs to select lines resistant to fusarium.

Keywords: NGS; association mapping; fusarium; maize; molecular markers.

MeSH terms

Disease Resistance / genetics
Fusarium* / genetics
High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
Plant Breeding
Plant Diseases / genetics
Plant Diseases / microbiology
Zea mays / genetics
Zea mays / microbiology

Grants and funding

The research presented in this publication was financed as part of the research project “Analysis of genetic determinants of heterosis effect and fusarium resistance in maize (Zea mays L.)”. PL: “Analiza genetycznych uwarunkowań związanych z efektem heterozji oraz odpornością na fuzarium u kukurydzy (Zea mays L.)”. The project is implemented under the grant from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development “Biological progress in plant production (recruitment 2020)”. Duration of the project 2021–2026. Open acces was financed form Projekt nr 005/RID/2018/19 pn. “Wielkopolska Regionalna Inicjatywa Doskonałości w obszarze nauk o życiu Uniwersytetu Przyrodniczego w Poznaniu” Projekt finansowany w ramach programu Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa w latach 2019–2022.