Frontiers in Genetics (Oct 2020)

Identification and Validation of a Novel Major Quantitative Trait Locus for Plant Height in Common Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

  • Zhiqiang Wang,
  • Haiyan Hu,
  • Xiaojun Jiang,
  • Yang Tao,
  • Yu Lin,
  • Fangkun Wu,
  • Shuai Hou,
  • Shihang Liu,
  • Caixia Li,
  • Guangdeng Chen,
  • Yaxi Liu,
  • Yaxi Liu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2020.602495
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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Plant height (PH) plays a pivotal role in plant morphological architecture and is associated with yield potential in wheat. For the quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis, a recombinant inbred line population was developed between varieties differing significantly in PH. Two major QTL were identified on chromosomes 4B (QPh.sicau-4B) and 6D (QPh.sicau-6D) in multiple environments, which were then validated in two different backgrounds by using closely linked markers. QPh.sicau-4B explained 10.1–21.3% of the phenotypic variance, and the location corresponded to the dwarfing gene Rht-B1. QPh.sicau-6D might be a novel QTL for PH, explaining 6.6–13.6% of the phenotypic variance and affecting spike length, thousand-kernel weight, and spikelet compactness. Three candidate genes associated with plant growth and development were identified in the physical interval of QPh.sicau-6D. Collectively, we identified a novel stable and major PH QTL, QPh.sicau-6D, which could aid in the development of closely linked markers for marker-assisted breeding and cloning genes underlying this QTL.

Keywords