Abstract
Maize leaf length, leaf width, leaf angle, and leaf orientation value are determinant traits influencing leaf shape, yield potential, and can sense water stress signals. However, little is known regarding their genetic controls under drought stress. Using two F3 populations, we identified 72 QTLs under contrasting environments at V18 and R1 stages by single-environment mapping, 58.3% QTLs were identified under drought-stressed environments. Thirty-three joint QTLs were detected by joint analysis of all environments, 7 QTLs involved in QTL-by-environment interactions, 11 pair epistasis exhibited additive-by-additive effects. Twelve constitutive QTLs were dissected that will be potentially useful for genetic improvement of maize leaf development through QTL pyramiding. Additionally, 13 meta-QTLs were identified via meta-analysis, 15 candidate genes were identified in these meta-QTLs. These results provide valuable information for QTLs fine mapping, revealing genetic mechanisms of leaf shape under contrasting watering environments, and alleles provide useful targets for marker-assisted selection breeding.
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This research was financially supported by the Research Program Sponsored by Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, China (GSCS-2020-5; GSCS-2019-8), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32060486), the Scientific Research Start-up Funds for Openly-recruited Doctors, Science and Technology Innovation Funds of Gansu Agricultural University, China (GAU-KYQD-2018-12; GAU-KYQD-2018-19), and the Developmental Funds of Innovation Capacity in Higher Education of Gansu, China (2019A-054; 2019A-052).
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Experimental design: Yuan Zhong, Xiaoqiang Zhao; Conceptualization: Yuan Zhong, Xiaoqiang Zhao; Methodology: Yuan Zhong, Xiaoqiang Zhao; Formal analysis and investigation: Wenli Li, Wenqi Zhou; Writing - original draft preparation: Wenli Li, Wenqi Zhou; Writing - review and editing: Yuan Zhong, Xiaoqiang Zhao; Funding acquisition: Yuan Zhong, Xiaoqiang Zhao; Resources: Yuan Zhong, Xiaoqiang Zhao; Supervision: Yuan Zhong, Xiaoqiang Zhao.
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Zhong, Y., Zhao, X., Li, W. et al. Identification and meta-analysis of QTLs for four leaf shape traits in two maize populations under contracting watering environments. Genet Resour Crop Evol 68, 1557–1575 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-020-01085-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-020-01085-1