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Research Article | Open Access

Identification and validation of major QTL for grain size and weight in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Guangsi Jia,b, Zhibin Xua, Xiaoli Fana, Qiang Zhoua, Liangen Chena,b, Qin Yua,b, Simin Liaoa,b, Cheng Jianga,b, Bo Fenga(), Tao Wanga,c()
Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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Abstract

Grain size and weight are key components of wheat yield. Exploitation of major underlying quantitative trait loci (QTL) can improve yield potential in wheat breeding. A recombinant inbred line (RIL) population was constructed to detect QTL for thousand-grain weight (TGW), grain length (GL) and grain width (GW) across eight environments. Genomic regions associated with grain size and grain weight were identified on chromosomes 4A and 6A using bulked segregant exome sequencing (BSE-Seq) analysis. After constructing genetic maps, six major QTL detected in at least four individual environments and in best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE) datasets, explained 7.50%–23.45% of the phenotypic variation. Except for QGl.cib-4A, the other five QTL were co-located in two regions, namely QTgw/Gw.cib-4A and QTgw/Gw/Gl.cib-6A. Interactions of these QTL were analyzed. Unlike QTgw/Gw/Gl.cib-6A, QTgw/Gw.cib-4A and QGl.cib-4A had no effect on grain number per spike (GNS). The QTL were validated in a second cross using Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers. Since QTgw/Gw.cib-4A was probably a novel locus, it and the KASP markers reported here can be used in wheat breeding. TraesCS4A03G0191200 was predicted to be potential candidate gene for QTgw/Gw.cib-4A based on the sequence differences, spatiotemporal expression patterns, gene annotation and haplotype analysis. Our findings will be useful for fine mapping and for marker-assisted selection in wheat grain yield improvement.

Keywords

BSE-SeqThousand-grain weightGrain lengthGrain widthQTL mapping

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The Crop Journal
Volume 11 Issue 2,
April 2023
Pages 564-572
DOI: 10.1016/j.cj.2022.06.014
Cite this article:
Ji G, Xu Z, Fan X, et al. Identification and validation of major QTL for grain size and weight in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The Crop Journal, 2023, 11(2): 564-572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2022.06.014
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