GRAS-Di system facilitates high-density genetic map construction and QTL identification in recombinant inbred lines of the wheat progenitor Aegilops tauschii

Sci Rep. 2020 Dec 8;10(1):21455. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-78589-4.

Abstract

Due to large and complex genomes of Triticeae species, skim sequencing approaches have cost and analytical advantages for detecting genetic markers and building linkage maps. Here, we develop a high-density linkage map and identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for recombinant inbred lines of Aegilops tauschii, a D-genome donor of bread wheat, using the recently developed genotyping by Random Amplicon Sequencing-Direct (GRAS-Di) system, which facilitates skimming of the large and complicated genome and generates a large number of genetic markers. The deduced linkage groups based on the GRAS-Di genetic markers corresponded to the chromosome number of Ae. tauschii. We successfully identified stable QTLs for flowering time and spikelet shape-related traits. Genotype differences of RILs at the QTL-linked markers were significantly associated with the trait variations. In particular, one of the QTL-linked markers for flowering time was mapped close to VRN3 (also known as FLOWERING LOCUS T), which controls flowering. The GRAS-Di system is, therefore, an efficient and useful application for genotyping and linkage mapping in species with large and complex genomes, such as Triticeae species.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aegilops / genetics*
  • Genes, Plant
  • Inbreeding
  • Plant Breeding
  • Quantitative Trait Loci*
  • Triticum / genetics