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Identification and molecular mapping of a major quantitative trait locus underlying branch angle in soybean

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A major quantitative trait locus (QTL) modulating soybean (Glycine max) branch angle was identified by linkage analysis using two bi-parental mapping populations with and without pedigree from wild soybean (Glycine soja).

Abstract

Soybean branch angle is a critical architectural trait that affects many other traits of agronomic importance associated with the plant’s productivity and grain yield and is thus a vital consideration in soybean breeding. However, the genetic basis for modulating this important trait in soybean and many other crops remain unknown. Previously, we developed a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between a domesticated soybean (Glycine max) variety, Williams 82, and a wild soybean (Glycine soja) accession, PI 479,752, and observed drastic variation in plant architecture including branch angle among individual RILs. In this study, one of the RILs possessing extremely wide branch angle (WBA) was crossed with an elite soybean cultivar (LD00-3309) possessing narrow branch angle (NBA) to produce an F2 population composed of 147 plants and F2-derived F3 families for inheritance analysis and QTL mapping. We found that branch angle is controlled by a major QTL located on chromosome 19, designated qGmBa1 and that WBA—derived from the wild soybean accession—is dominant over NBA. This locus was also detected as a major one underlying branch angle by QTL mapping using a subset of the soybean nested association mapping (SoyNAM) population composed of 140 RILs, which were derived from a cross between a landrace, PI 437169B, possessing WBA and an elite variety, IA3023, possessing NBA. Molecular markers located in the QTL region defined by both mapping populations can be used for marker-assisted selection of branch angle in soybean breeding.

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Fig. 1
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taken from 20 randomly selected individuals from the individual F3 families and merged together with 95% transparency

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Xutong Wang, Jingbo Duan, and Liyang Chen for help with harvesting soybean plants.

Funding

This work was mainly supported by (# 2015–67013-22811, 2018–67013-27425) funded by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and partially supported by Indiana Soybean Alliance.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Ying Wang

    Present address: College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130062, China

  2. Zixiang Wen

    Present address: Syngenta, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27709, USA

  3. Bo Ren

    Present address: Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA

    Chancelor B. Clark, Weidong Wang, Ying Wang, Gabriel J. Fear, Bo Ren & Jianxin Ma

  2. Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Zixiang Wen & Dechun Wang

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  1. Chancelor B. Clark
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Contributions

JM designed research, CBC, WW, YW, GJF, ZW, and BR performed research, CBC, DW, and BR analyzed data, CBC and JM wrote the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Bo Ren or Jianxin Ma.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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All data presented in this manuscript are included in the supplemental tables. All materials are available to the public upon request and under material transfer agreement.

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Communicated by Istvan Rajcan.

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Clark, C.B., Wang, W., Wang, Y. et al. Identification and molecular mapping of a major quantitative trait locus underlying branch angle in soybean. Theor Appl Genet 135, 777–784 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-021-03995-9

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