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Characterization of QTL for oil content in maize kernel

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Abstract

Kernel oil content in maize is a complex quantitative trait. Phenotypic variation in kernel oil content can be dissected into its component traits such as oil metabolism and physical characteristics of the kernel, including embryo size and embryo-to-endosperm weight ratio (EEWR). To characterize quantitative trait loci (QTL) for kernel oil content, a recombinant inbred population derived from a cross between normal line B73 and high-oil line By804 was genotyped using 228 molecular markers and phenotyped for kernel oil content and its component traits [embryo oil content, embryo oil concentration, EEWR, embryo volume, embryo width, embryo length, and embryo width-to-length ratio (EWLR)]. A total of 58 QTL were identified for kernel oil content and its component traits in 26 genomic regions across all chromosomes. Eight main-effect QTL were identified for kernel oil content, embryo oil content, embryo oil concentration, EEWR, embryo weight, and EWLR, each accounting for over 10 % of the phenotypic variation in six genomic regions. Over 90 % of QTL identified for kernel oil content co-localized with QTL for component traits, validating their molecular contribution to kernel oil content. On chromosome 1, the QTL that had the largest effect on kernel oil content (qKO1-1) was associated with embryo width; on chromosome 9, the QTL for kernel oil content (qKO9) was related to EEWR (qEEWR9). Embryo oil concentration and embryo width were identified as the most important component traits controlling the second largest QTL for kernel oil content on chromosome 6 (qKO6) and a minor QTL for kernel oil content on chromosome 5 (qKO5-2), respectively. The dissection of kernel oil QTL will facilitate future cloning and/or functional validation of kernel oil content, and help to elucidate the genetic basis of kernel oil content in maize.

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Acknowledgments

Helpful comments on the early manuscript from Dr. Jill Cairns are appreciated. The authors gratefully thank Martin Bohn and three anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions. Financial support was provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31101156), the Chinese High Technology Project (2012AA101104) and NSFC-CIMMYT project (30821140352).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Maize Improvement Center of China, Key Laboratory of Maize Biology and Genetic Improvement of China, Ministry of Agriculture, China Agricultural University, No.2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian, Beijing, 100193, China

    Xiaohong Yang, Hailin Ma, Pan Zhang, Jianbing Yan, Yuqiu Guo, Tongming Song & Jiansheng Li

  2. Maize Research Institute, Shanxi Academy of Agricultural University, Xinzhou, 034000, Shanxi, China

    Hailin Ma

  3. National Key Laboratory of Crop Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China

    Jianbing Yan

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  1. Xiaohong Yang
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  2. Hailin Ma
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  3. Pan Zhang
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  4. Jianbing Yan
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  5. Yuqiu Guo
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  6. Tongming Song
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  7. Jiansheng Li
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jiansheng Li.

Additional information

Communicated by M. Bohn.

X. Yang and H. Ma contributed equally.

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Yang, X., Ma, H., Zhang, P. et al. Characterization of QTL for oil content in maize kernel. Theor Appl Genet 125, 1169–1179 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-012-1903-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-012-1903-x

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