Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

QTL mapping of flag leaf traits in common wheat using an integrated high-density SSR and SNP genetic linkage map

  • Published:
Euphytica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Photosynthesis of carbohydrates is the primary source of grain yield in wheat. Photosynthetic organs, especially flag leaves and awns play important roles in wheat growth and development. Genetic analysis of flag leaf posture, size and shape and presence/absence of awns was conducted using a set of 269 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from Yanda1817 × Beinong6. Six agronomic traits comprising flag leaf angle (FLAN), flag leaf width (FLW), flag leaf length (FLL), the ratio of length/width of flag leaf (FLR), flag leaf area (FLA) and presence/absence of awns were evaluated in Shijiazhuang (2011, 2012 and 2013) and Beijing (2012). Using the available high-density single nucleotide polymorphism and simple sequence repeats (SSR) genetic linkage map, a total of 61 putative quantitative trait loci (QTL) for FLAN, FLW, FLL, FLR and FLA were detected on 16 of the 21 wheat chromosomes excluding 1D, 4B, 5D, 6A and 7A, with single QTL in different environments explaining 2.49–42.41 % of the phenotypic variation. Among the identified QTL, 17 were for FLAN, 11 for FLW, seven for FLL, 13 for FLR and 13 for FLA. Twenty-five (41 %) QTL were detected in at least two environments, while four QTL for FLW were detected in all environments. Thirty QTL were associated with higher number of flag leaf traits originated from Yanda1817 alleles, whereas the remaining 31 QTL were derived from Beinong6. In addition, pleiotropic effects were detected for QTL on chromosomes 2D, 3B, 4A, 4D, 5A, 5B, 6B, 6D and 7D that could serve as target regions for fine mapping and marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding programs. Genetic analysis revealed that the presence/absence of awns in the RIL population is controlled by the awn-inhibitor gene B1 linked to SSR marker Xgwm291 on the long arm of chromosome 5A. Our results also suggest that physiological traits FLL, FLW and FLA were significantly and positively correlated to spike length (SL), grain weight per spike and grain number per spike. FLR was significantly and positively related to SL but negatively related to grain width and grain thickness (GT). In addition, the awn trait was strongly and positively correlated to thousand grain weight, grain length and GT.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barrett B, Bayram M, Kidwell K (2002) Identifying AFLP and microsatellite markers for vernalization response gene Vrn-B1 in hexaploid wheat using reciprocal mapping populations. Plant Breed 121:400–406

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blum A (1985) Photosynthesis and transpiration in leaves and ears of wheat and barley varieties. J Exp Bot 36:432–440

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Börner A, Schumann E, Fürste A, Cöster H, Leithold B, Röder MS, Weber WE (2002) Mapping of quantitative trait loci determining agronomic important characters in hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Theor Appl Genet 105:921–936

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ceccarelli S (1996) Positive interpretation of genotype by environment interactions in relation to sustainability and biodiversity. In: Cooper M, Hammer GL (eds) Plant adaptation and crop improvement. CABI, Wallingford

    Google Scholar 

  • Ceccarelli S, Grando S (2000) Barley landraces from the fertile crescent: a lesson for plant breeders. In: Brush SB (eds) Genes in the field: on farm conservation of crop diversity. IPGRI Rome, IDRC Ottawa, Lewis Boca Raton

  • Chaves MM, Pereira JS, Maroco JP, Rodrigues ML, Ricardo CPP, Osorio ML, Carvalho I, Faria T, Pinheiro C (2002) How plants cope with water stress in the field: photosynthesis and growth. Ann Bot 89:907–916

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chen ML, Luo J, Shao GN, Wei XJ, Tang SQ, Sheng ZH, Song J, Hu PS (2012) Fine mapping of a major QTL for flag leaf width in rice, qFLW4, which might be caused by alternative splicing of NAL1. Plant Cell Rep 31:863–872

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chu CG, Tan CT, Yu GT, Zhong S, Xu SS, Yan L (2011) A novel retrotransposon inserted in the dominant Vrn-B1 allele confers spring growth habit in tetraploid wheat. G3 1:637–645

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coleman RK, Gill GS, Rebetzke GJ (2001) Identification of quantitative trait loci for traits conferring weed competitiveness in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Aust J Agric Res 52:1235–1246

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Du B, Cui F, Wang HG, Li XF (2010) Characterization and genetic analysis of near-isogenic lines of common wheat for awn-inhibitor gene B1. Mol Plant Breed 8:259–264

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fan XL, Cui F, Zhao CH, Zhang W, Yang LJ, Zhao XQ, Han J, Su QN, Ji J, Zhao ZW, Tong YP, Li JM (2015) QTLs for flag leaf size and their influence on yield-related traits in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Mol Breed 35:24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farooq M, Tagle AG, Santos RE, Ebron LA, Fujita D, Kobayashi N (2010) Quantitative traits loci mapping for leaf length and leaf width in rice cv. IR64 derived lines. J Integr Plant Biol 52:578–584

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Foyer CH (1987) The basis for source-sink interaction in leaves. Plant Physiol Biochem 25:649–657

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fujino K, Matsuda Y, Ozawa K, Nishimura T, Koshiba T, Fraaije MW, Sekiguchi H (2008) NARROW LEAF 7 controls leaf shape mediated by auxin in rice. Mol Genet Genomics 279:499–507

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gasperini D, Greenland A, Hedden P, Dreos R, Harwood W, Griffiths S (2012) Genetic and physiological analysis of Rht8 in bread wheat: an alternative source of semi-dwarfism with a reduced sensitivity to brassinosteroids. J Exp Bot 63:4419–4436

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hirota O, Oka M, Takeda T (1990) Sink activity estimation by sink size and dry matter increase during the ripening stage of barley (Hordeum vulgare) and rice (Oryza sativa). Ann Bot 65:349–354

    Google Scholar 

  • Jia HY, Wan HS, Yang SH, Zhang ZZ, Kong ZX, Xue SL, Zhang LX, Ma ZQ (2013) Genetic dissection of yield-related traits in a recombinant inbred line population created using a key breeding parent in China’s wheat breeding. Theor Appl Genet 126:2123–2139

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kato K, Miura H, Akiyama M, Kuroshima M, Sawada S (1998) RFLP mapping of the three major genes, Vrn1, Q and B1, on the long arm of chromosome 5A of wheat. Euphytica 101:91–95

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kobayashi S, Fukuta Y, Morita S, Sato T, Osaki M, Khush GS (2003) Quantitative trait loci affecting flag leaf development in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Breed Sci 53:255–262

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kosambi D (1943) The estimation of map distances from recombination values. Ann Eugen 12:172–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li ZK, Pinson SRM, Stansel JW, Paterson AH (1998) Genetic dissection of the source-sink relationship affecting fecundity and yield in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Mol Breed 4:419–426

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li XJ, Wang HG, Li HB, Zhang LY, Teng NJ, Lin QQ, Wang J, Kuang TY, Li ZS, Li B, Zhang AM, Lin JX (2006) Awns play a dominant role in carbohydrate production during the grain-filling stages in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Physiol Plant 127:701–709

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu RH, Meng JL (2003) MapDraw: a microsoft excel macro for drawing genetic linkage maps based on given genetic linkage data. Hereditas 25:317–321

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ma ZQ, Xue SL, Lin F, Yang SH, Li GQ, Tang MZ, Kong ZX, Cao Y, Zhao DM, Jia HY, Zhang ZZ, Zhang LX (2008) Mapping and validation of scab resistance QTL in the Nanda2419× Wangshuibai population. Cereal Res Commun 36(Suppl B):245–251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McIntosh RA, Yamazaki Y, Dubcovsky J, Rogers J, Morris C, Appels R, Xia XC (2013) Catalogue of gene symbols for wheat. In: 12th International wheat genetics symposium, Yokohama, pp. 6–7

  • Mei HW, Li ZK, Shu QY, Guo LB, Wang YP, Xu XQ, Ying CS, Luo LJ (2005) Gene actions of QTL affecting several agronomic traits resolved in a recombinant inbred rice population and two backcross populations. Theor Appl Genet 110:649–659

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moragues M, García del Moral LF, Moralejo M, Royo C (2006) Yield formation strategies of durum wheat landraces with distinct pattern of dispersal within the Mediterranean basin: II Biomass production and allocation. Field Crop Res 95:182–193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Motzo R, Giunta F (2002) Awnedness affects grain yield and kernel weight in near-isogenic lines of durum wheat. Aust J Agric Res 53:1285–1293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Pérez JM, Esteve-Bruna D, Micol JL (2010) QTL analysis of leaf architecture. J Plant Res 123:15–23

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Qi J, Qian Q, Bu QY, Li SY, Chen Q, Sun JQ, Liang WX, Zhou YH, Chu CC, Li XG, Ren FG, Palme K, Zhao BR, Chen JF (2008) Mutation of the rice narrow leaf1 gene, which encodes a novel protein, affects vein patterning and polar auxin transport. Plant Physiol 147:1947–1959

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rajaram S, Borlauig NE, van Ginke M (2002) CIMMYT international wheat breeding. In: Curtis BC, Rajaram S, Gomez-Macpherson H (eds) Bread wheat improvement and production. FAO, Rome, pp 103–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez M, Rau D, Papa R, Attene G (2008) Genotype by environment interactions in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.): different responses of landraces, recombinant inbred lines and varieties to Mediterranean environment. Euphytica 163:231–247

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sakamoto T, Morinaka Y, Ohnishi T, Sunohara H, Fujioka S, Ueguchi-Tanaka M, Mizutani M, Sakata K, Takatsuto S, Yoshida S, Tanaka H, Kitano H, Matsuoka M (2006) Erect leaves caused by brassinosteroid deficiency increase biomass production and grain yield in rice. Nat Biotechnol 24:105–109

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute Inc. (2000) SAS/STAT user’s guide, version 8. Cary (North Carolina): SAS Institute Inc.

  • Sears ER (1954) The aneuploids of common wheat. Univ Missouri Res Bull 572:1–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma SN, Sain RS, Sharma RK (2003) The genetic control of flag leaf length in normal and late sown durum wheat. J Agric Sci 141:323–331

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Snape JW, Law CN, Parker BB, Worland AJ (1985) Genetical analysis of chromosome 5A of wheat and its influence on important agronomic characters. Theor Appl Genet 71:518–526

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Somers DJ, Isaac P, Edwards K (2004) A high-density microsatellite consensus map for bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Theor Appl Genet 109:1105–1114

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sourdille P, Cadalen T, Gay G, Gill B, Bernard M (2002) Molecular and physical mapping of genes affecting awning in wheat. Plant Breed 121:320–324

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang P, Zhou GL, Yu HH, Yu SB (2011) Fine mapping a major QTL for flag leaf size and yield-related traits in rice. Theor Appl Genet 123:1319–1330

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wu QH, Chen YX, Zhou SH, Lin F, Chen JJ, Xiao Y, Zhang D, Ouyang SH, Zhao XJ, Cui Y, Zhang DY, Liang Y, Wang ZZ, Xie JZ, Qin JX, Wang GX, Li DL, Huang YL, Yu MH, Lu P, Wang LL, Wang L, Wang H, Zhang Y, Peng HR, Yuan CG, You MS, Sun QX, Wang JR, Wang LX, Luo MC, Han J, Liu ZY (2015a) High-density genetic linkage map construction and QTL mapping of grain shape and size in the wheat population Yanda 1817× Beinong6. PLoS One 10(2):e0118144

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wu QH, Chen JJ, Chen YX, Zhou SH, Lin F, Xiao Y, Wang GX, Wang ZZ, Wang LX, Han J, Yuan CG, You MS, Liu ZY (2015b) Mapping quantitative trait loci related to spike traits using a RIL population of Yanda 1817× Beinong6 in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Acta Agron Sin 41:349–358

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu HY, Zhao JS (1995) Canopy photosynthesis capacity and the contribution from different organs in high-yielding winter wheat. Acta Agro Sin 21:204–209

    Google Scholar 

  • Xue DW, Chen MC, Zhou MX, Chen S, Mao Y, Zhang GP (2008) QTL analysis of flag leaf in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) for morphological traits and chlorophyll content. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B 9(12):938–943

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Xue SL, Xu F, Tang MZ, Zhou Y, Li GQ, An X, Lin F, Xu HB, Jia HY, Zhang LX, Kong ZX, Ma ZQ (2011) Precise mapping Fhb5, a major QTL conditioning resistance to Fusarium infection in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Theor Appl Genet 123:1055–1063

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Xue SL, Xu F, Li GQ, Zhou Y, Lin MS, Gao ZX, Su XH, Xu XW, Jiang G, Zhang S, Jia HY, Kong ZX, Zhang LX, Ma ZQ (2013) Fine mapping TaFLW1, a major QTL controlling flag leaf width in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Theor Appl Genet 126:1941–1949

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yue B, Xue WY, Luo LJ, Xing YZ (2006) QTL analysis for flag leaf characteristics and their relationship with yield and yield traits in rice. Acta Genet Sin 33:824–832

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhuang QS (2003) Chinese wheat improvement and pedigree analysis. China Agriculture Press, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Prof. Andrew O. Jackson of the University of California at Berkeley for editing the manuscript. This work was financially supported by the 973 project (2011CB100104), National Natural Science Foundation of China (31271710, 31301312) and Ministry of Education (MOE) of China (111-02-3).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Chengguo Yuan

    Present address: Gaoyi Stock Seed Farm, Gaoyi, 051330, China

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology/Department of Plant Genetics & Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China

    Qiuhong Wu, Yongxing Chen, Lin Fu, Shenghui Zhou, Jiaojiao Chen, Xiaojie Zhao, Dong Zhang, Shuhong Ouyang, Zhenzhong Wang, Dan Li, Guoxin Wang, Deyun Zhang, Chengguo Yuan, Mingshan You & Zhiyong Liu

  2. Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100197, China

    Lixin Wang

  3. College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, 102206, China

    Jun Han

Authors
  1. Qiuhong Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yongxing Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lin Fu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shenghui Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jiaojiao Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Xiaojie Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Dong Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Shuhong Ouyang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Zhenzhong Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Dan Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Guoxin Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Deyun Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Chengguo Yuan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. Lixin Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. Mingshan You
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  16. Jun Han
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  17. Zhiyong Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Jun Han or Zhiyong Liu.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest. Although co-author Chengguo Yuan is currently employed by Gaoyi Stock Seed Farm, China, all of his contributions to the current manuscript were completed while he was a graduate student at China Agricultural University (CAU). Thus, the author does not have any conflict of interest to report here. This does not alter our adherence to Euphytica policies on sharing data and materials.

Additional information

Qiuhong Wu and Yongxing Chen have contributed equally to this work.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

10681_2015_1603_MOESM1_ESM.xlsx

Supplementary material 1 (XLSX 72 kb) Phenotypic data in different environments for flag leaf traits in the Yanda1817 × Beinong6 RIL population

10681_2015_1603_MOESM2_ESM.xlsx

Supplementary material 2 (XLSX 378 kb) QTL for FLAN, FLW, FLL, FLR and FLA detected in all the environments in the Yanda1817 × Beinong6 RIL population

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wu, Q., Chen, Y., Fu, L. et al. QTL mapping of flag leaf traits in common wheat using an integrated high-density SSR and SNP genetic linkage map. Euphytica 208, 337–351 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-015-1603-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-015-1603-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation