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Mapping quantitative trait loci for seed size traits in soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.)

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Abstract

Seed size traits in soybean—length, width and thickness—and their corresponding ratios—length-to-width, length-to-thickness and width-to-thickness—play a crucial role in determining seed appearance, quality and yield. In this study, an attempt was made to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for the aforementioned seed size traits in F2:3, F2:4 and F2:5 populations from the direct and reciprocal crosses of Lishuizhongzihuang with Nannong 493-1, using multi-QTL joint analysis (MJA) along with composite interval mapping (CIM). A total of 121 main-effect QTL (M-QTL), six environmental effects, eight environment-by-QTL interactions, five cytoplasmic effects and 92 cytoplasm-by-QTL interactions were detected. Fifty-two common M-QTL across MJA and CIM, 21 common M-QTL in more than two populations and 5 M-QTL in all three populations showed the stability of the results. Five M-QTL had higher heritability, greater than 20%. In addition, 28 cytoplasm-by-QTL and 4 environment-by-QTL interactions were confirmed by CIM. Most M-QTL were clustered in eight chromosomal regions. Our results provide a good foundation for fine mapping, cloning and designed molecular breeding of favorable genes related to soybean seed size traits.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the Associate Editor Dr. Rajcan, Istvan, and two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and suggestions that significantly improved the manuscript. The work was supported by the 973 program (2011CB109300), Jiangsu Natural Science Foundation (BK2008335), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30971848), the 111 Project (B08025) and NCET (NCET-05-0489) to YMZ.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section on Statistical Genomics, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang Road, Nanjing, 210095, China

    Yu Xu, He-Nan Li, Guang-Jun Li, Xia Wang, Li-Guo Cheng & Yuan-Ming Zhang

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  1. Yu Xu
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  2. He-Nan Li
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  3. Guang-Jun Li
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  4. Xia Wang
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Correspondence to Yuan-Ming Zhang.

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Communicated by I. Rajcan.

Y. Xu and H.-N. Li contributed equally to this work.

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Xu, Y., Li, HN., Li, GJ. et al. Mapping quantitative trait loci for seed size traits in soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.). Theor Appl Genet 122, 581–594 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-010-1471-x

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