QTL Identification of the Insensitive Response to Photoperiod and Temperature in Soybean by Association Mapping

Abstract

The insensitive response to photoperiod and temperature is an important quantitative trait for soybean in wide adaptation breeding. The natural variation in response to photoperiod and temperature was detected using 275 accessions of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] from China. Genome-wide association mapping, based on population structure analysis, was carried out using 118 SSR markers by the TASSEL GLM (general linear model) program. Nine SSR markers (P<0.01) were associated with the value of the response to photoperiod and temperature (VRPT) caused by days to flowering (DF), among which, Satt308 (LG M), Satt150 (LG M) and Satt440 (LG I), were identified in both 2006 and 2007. Twelve SSR markers (P<0.01) were associated with VRPT caused by days to maturity (DM), among which three markers, Satt387 (LG N), Satt307 (LG C2) and AW310961 (LG J), were detected in both 2006 and 2007. In addition, a total of 20 elite alleles were screened out over 2006 and 2007 for being associated with an insensitive response to photoperiod and temperature (IRPT) caused by DF and a total of seven different elite alleles were screened out for being associated with IRPT caused by DM. Among these elite alleles, five alleles, Satt150-244, Satt308-164, Satt308-206, Satt440-176, and Satt440-206, were associated with IRPT caused by DF and were identified in both years, but only one allele, Satt307-170, was identified as being associated with an IRPT caused by DM. Based on these elite alleles, a set of typical accessions were screened out. The result about the genetic basis of IRPT is meaningful for soybean wide adaption breeding.

Keywords

• QTL
• association mapping
• soybean
• insensitive response
• photoperiod and temperature