QTL analysis of the developmental changes in cell wall components and forage digestibility in maize (Zea mays L.)

Kun LI; Xue YANG; Xiao-gang LIU; Xiao-jiao HU; Yu-jin WU; Qi WANG; Fei-qian MA; Shu-qiang LI; Hong-wu WANG; Zhi-fang LIU; Chang-ling HUANG

Journal of Integrative Agriculture (Dec 2022)

QTL analysis of the developmental changes in cell wall components and forage digestibility in maize (Zea mays L.)

Kun LI,
Xue YANG,
Xiao-gang LIU,
Xiao-jiao HU,
Yu-jin WU,
Qi WANG,
Fei-qian MA,
Shu-qiang LI,
Hong-wu WANG,
Zhi-fang LIU,
Chang-ling HUANG

Affiliations

Kun LI: Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R.China; National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Beijing 10081, P.R.China
Xue YANG: Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R.China; National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Beijing 10081, P.R.China
Xiao-gang LIU: Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R.China; National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Beijing 10081, P.R.China
Xiao-jiao HU: Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R.China; National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Beijing 10081, P.R.China
Yu-jin WU: Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R.China; National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Beijing 10081, P.R.China
Qi WANG: Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R.China; National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Beijing 10081, P.R.China
Fei-qian MA: Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R.China; National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Beijing 10081, P.R.China
Shu-qiang LI: Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R.China
Hong-wu WANG: Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R.China; National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Beijing 10081, P.R.China; Correspondence WANG Hong-wu, Tel: +86-10-82108582
Zhi-fang LIU: Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R.China; National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Beijing 10081, P.R.China; Correspondence LIU Zhi-fang, Tel: +86-10-82108629
Chang-ling HUANG: Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R.China; National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Beijing 10081, P.R.China; Correspondence HUANG Chang-ling, Tel/Fax: +86-10-82108738

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 21, no. 12
pp. 3501 – 3513

Abstract

Read online

Cell wall architecture plays a key role in stalk strength and forage digestibility. Lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose are the three main components of plant cell walls, and they can impact stalk quality by affecting the structure and strength of the cell wall. To explore cell wall development during secondary cell wall lignification in maize stalks, conventional and conditional genetic mapping were used to identify the dynamic quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of the cell wall components and digestibility traits during five growth stages after silking. Acid detergent lignin (ADL), cellulose (CEL), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) were evaluated in a maize recombinant inbred line (RIL) population. ADL, CEL, ADF, and NDF gradually increased from 10 to 40 days after silking (DAS), and then they decreased. IVDMD initially decreased until 40 DAS, and then it increased slightly. Seventy-two QTLs were identified for the five traits, and each accounted for 3.48–24.04% of the phenotypic variation. Six QTL hotspots were found, and they were localized in the 1.08, 2.04, 2.07, 7.03, 8.05, and 9.03 bins of the maize genome. Within the interval of the pleiotropic QTL identified in bin 1.08 of the maize genome, six genes associated with cell wall component biosynthesis were identified as potential candidate genes for stalk strength as well as cell wall-related traits. In addition, 26 conditional QTLs were detected in the five stages for all of the investigated traits. Twenty-two of the 26 conditional QTLs were found at 30 DAS conditioned using the values of 20 DAS, and at 50 DAS conditioned using the values of 40 DAS. These results indicated that cell wall-related traits are regulated by many genes, which are specifically expressed at different stages after silking. Simultaneous improvements in both forage digestibility and lodging resistance could be achieved by pyramiding multiple beneficial QTL alleles identified in this study.

Published in Journal of Integrative Agriculture

ISSN: 2095-3119 (Print); 2352-3425 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Agriculture (General)
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-integrative-agriculture

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords