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Identification and validation of a yield-enhancing QTL cluster in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

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Abstract

Improvement of rice grain yield (YD) is an important goal in rice breeding. YD is determined by its related traits such as spikelet fertility (SF), 1,000-grain weight (TGW), and the number of spikelets per panicle (SPP). We previously mapped quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for SPP and TGW using the recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from the crosses between Minghui 63 and Teqing. In this study, four QTLs for SF and four QTLs for YD were detected in the RILs. Comparison of the locations of QTLs for these three yield-related traits identified one QTL cluster in the interval between RM3400 and RM3646 on chromosome 3. The QTL cluster contained three QTLs, SPP3a, SF3 and TGW3a, but no YD QTL was located there. To validate the QTL cluster, a BC4F2 population was obtained, in which SPP3a, SF3 and TGW3a were simultaneously mapped to the same region. SPP3a, SF3 and TGW3a explained 36.3, 29.5 and 59.0 % of phenotype variance with additive effect of 16.4 spikelets, 6 % SF and 1.8 g grain weight, respectively. In the BC4F2 population, though the region has opposite effects on TGW and SPP/SF, a YD QTL YD3 identified in this cluster region can increase 4.6 g grains per plant, which suggests this QTL cluster is a yield-enhancing QTL cluster and can be targeted to improve rice yield by marker aided selection.

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Acknowledgments

The authors kindly thank farm technician Mr. Wang JB for his excellent fieldwork. This study was supported by a grant National Key Program of Basic Development (2007CB109001), National Special Program for Research of Transgenic Plants of China (2011ZX08009-001), Agriculture Public Welfare Scientific Research Project (201303008).

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  1. Touming Liu

    Present address: Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha, 410205, China

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China

    Touming Liu, Ting Yu & Yongzhong Xing

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  1. Touming Liu
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Correspondence to Yongzhong Xing.

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Liu, T., Yu, T. & Xing, Y. Identification and validation of a yield-enhancing QTL cluster in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Euphytica 192, 145–153 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-013-0929-8

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