G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics (Oct 2018)

Genetic Architecture of Soybean Yield and Agronomic Traits

  • Brian W. Diers,
  • Jim Specht,
  • Katy Martin Rainey,
  • Perry Cregan,
  • Qijian Song,
  • Vishnu Ramasubramanian,
  • George Graef,
  • Randall Nelson,
  • William Schapaugh,
  • Dechun Wang,
  • Grover Shannon,
  • Leah McHale,
  • Stella K. Kantartzi,
  • Alencar Xavier,
  • Rouf Mian,
  • Robert M. Stupar,
  • Jean-Michel Michno,
  • Yong-Qiang Charles An,
  • Wolfgang Goettel,
  • Russell Ward,
  • Carolyn Fox,
  • Alexander E. Lipka,
  • David Hyten,
  • Troy Cary,
  • William D. Beavis

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1534/g3.118.200332
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 10
pp. 3367 – 3375

Abstract

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Soybean is the world’s leading source of vegetable protein and demand for its seed continues to grow. Breeders have successfully increased soybean yield, but the genetic architecture of yield and key agronomic traits is poorly understood. We developed a 40-mating soybean nested association mapping (NAM) population of 5,600 inbred lines that were characterized by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and six agronomic traits in field trials in 22 environments. Analysis of the yield, agronomic, and SNP data revealed 23 significant marker-trait associations for yield, 19 for maturity, 15 for plant height, 17 for plant lodging, and 29 for seed mass. A higher frequency of estimated positive yield alleles was evident from elite founder parents than from exotic founders, although unique desirable alleles from the exotic group were identified, demonstrating the value of expanding the genetic base of US soybean breeding.

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