Abstract
An F2 population, consisting of 231 individuals derived from a cross between rice cultivars with a similar growing duration, Palawan and IR42, was utilized to investigate the genetic nature of rice varietal ability to stimulate N2 fixation in the rice rhizosphere. To assess rhizospheric N2 fixation, an isotope-enriched 15N dilution technique was employed, using 15N-stabilized soil in pots. IR42, an indica variety, had 23% higher N derived from fixation (Ndfa) than Palawan, a javanica genotype. Normal segregation of atom% 15N excess was obtained in the F2 population, with an average of 0.218 with 8% of plants below IR42 (0.188) and 10% of plants above Palawan (0.248). One-hundred-and-four RFLP markers mapped on 12 chromosomes were tested for linkage to the putative QTLs. Significant (P<0.01) associations between markers and segregation of atom% 15N excess were observed for seven marker loci located on chromosomes 1, 3, 6 and 11. Four QTLs defined by the detected marker loci were identified by interval-mapping analysis. Additive gene action was found to be predominant, but for at least one locus, dominance and partial dominance effects were observed. Significant (P<0.01) epistatic effects were also identified. Individual marker loci detected between 8 and 16% of the total phenotypic variation. All four putative QTLs showed recessive gene action, and no phenotypic effects associated with heterozygosity of marker loci were observed. The results of this study suggest that rice genetic factors can be identified which affect levels of atom% 15N excess in the soil by interacting with diazotrophs in the rice rhizosphere.
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Wu, P., Zhang, G., Ladha, J.K. et al. Molecular-marker-facilitated investigation on the ability to stimulate N2 fixation in the rhizosphere by irrigated rice plants. Theoret. Appl. Genetics 91, 1177–1183 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220926
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220926