Genome-wide association study of seedling nitrogen-use efficiency-associated traits in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Huawei Shi,
Weichong Wang,
Lifeng Gao,
Jirong Wu,
Chengmei Hu,
Huishu Yan,
Yugang Shi,
Ning Li,
Youzhi Ma,
Yongbin Zhou,
Zhaoshi Xu,
Jun Chen,
Wensi Tang,
Kai Chen,
Daizhen Sun,
Yuxiang Wu,
Ming Chen
Affiliations
Huawei Shi
College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, Shanxi, China; National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Weichong Wang
College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, Shanxi, China
Lifeng Gao
National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Jirong Wu
College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, Shanxi, China
Chengmei Hu
College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, Shanxi, China
Huishu Yan
National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Yugang Shi
College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, Shanxi, China
Ning Li
College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, Shanxi, China
Youzhi Ma
National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Yongbin Zhou
National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Zhaoshi Xu
National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Jun Chen
National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Wensi Tang
National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Kai Chen
National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Daizhen Sun
College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, Shanxi, China; Corresponding authors.
Yuxiang Wu
College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, Shanxi, China; Corresponding authors.
Ming Chen
National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; Corresponding authors.
Nitrogen (N) fertilizer application is essential for crop-plant growth and development. Identifying genetic loci associated with N-use efficiency (NUE) could increase wheat yields and reduce environmental pollution caused by overfertilization. We subjected a panel of 389 wheat accessions to N and chlorate (a nitrate analog) treatments to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling NUE-associated traits at the wheat seedling stage. Genotyping the panel with a 660K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array, we identified 397 SNPs associated with N-sensitivity index and chlorate inhibition rate. These SNPs were merged into 49 QTL, of which eight were multi-environment stable QTL and 27 were located near previously reported QTL. A set of 135 candidate genes near the 49 QTL included TaBOX (F-box family protein) and TaERF (ethylene-responsive transcription factor). A Tabox mutant was more sensitive to low-N stress than the wild-type plant. We developed two functional markers for Hap 1, the favorable allele of TaBOX.
