Quantitative trait loci for mercury accumulation in maize (Zea mays L.) identified using a RIL population

Zhongjun Fu; Weihua Li; Qinbin Zhang; Long Wang; Xiaoxiang Zhang; Guiliang Song; Zhiyuan Fu; Dong Ding; Zonghua Liu; Jihua Tang

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0107243

Quantitative trait loci for mercury accumulation in maize (Zea mays L.) identified using a RIL population

PLoS One. 2014 Sep 11;9(9):e107243. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107243. eCollection 2014.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crops Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China; Maize Research Institute, Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chongqing, China.
² National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crops Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China.

Abstract

To investigate the genetic mechanism of mercury accumulation in maize (Zea mays L.), a population of 194 recombinant inbred lines derived from an elite hybrid Yuyu 22, was used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for mercury accumulation at two locations. The results showed that the average Hg concentration in the different tissues of maize followed the order: leaves > bracts > stems > axis > kernels. Twenty-three QTLs for mercury accumulation in five tissues were detected on chromosomes 1, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 10, which explained 6.44% to 26.60% of the phenotype variance. The QTLs included five QTLs for Hg concentration in kernels, three QTLs for Hg concentration in the axis, six QTLs for Hg concentration in stems, four QTLs for Hg concentration in bracts and five QTLs for Hg concentration in leaves. Interestingly, three QTLs, qKHC9a, qKHC9b, and qBHC9 were in linkage with two QTLs for drought tolerance. In addition, qLHC1 was in linkage with two QTLs for arsenic accumulation. The study demonstrated the concentration of Hg in Hg-contaminated paddy soil could be reduced, and maize production maintained simultaneously by selecting and breeding maize Hg pollution-safe cultivars (PSCs).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Chromosome Mapping
Chromosomes, Plant / genetics
Environmental Pollution
Genes, Plant*
Mercury / metabolism*
Quantitative Trait Loci
Soil Pollutants / metabolism*
Zea mays / genetics*
Zea mays / metabolism

Substances

Soil Pollutants
Mercury

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the State Key Basic Research and Development Plan of China (2014CB138203) and Scientific Personnel Innovation Fund of Henan Province in China. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.