Genotyping by sequencing (GBS) is the latest application of next-generation sequencing protocols for the purposes of discovering and genotyping SNPs in a variety of crop species and populations. Unlike other high-density genotyping technologies which have mainly been applied to general interest "reference" genomes, the low cost of GBS makes it an attractive means of saturating mapping and breeding populations with a high density of SNP markers. One barrier to the widespread use of GBS has been the difficulty of the bioinformatics analysis as the approach is accompanied by a high number of erroneous SNP calls which are not easily diagnosed or corrected. In this study, we use a 384-plex GBS protocol to add 30,984 markers to an indica (IR64) x japonica (Azucena) mapping population consisting of 176 recombinant inbred lines of rice (Oryza sativa) and we release our imputation and error correction pipeline to address initial GBS data sparcity and error, and streamline the process of adding SNPs to RIL populations. Using the final imputed and corrected dataset of 30,984 markers, we were able to map recombination hot and cold spots and regions of segregation distortion across the genome with a high degree of accuracy, thus identifying regions of the genome containing putative sterility loci. We mapped QTL for leaf width and aluminum tolerance, and were able to identify additional QTL for both phenotypes when using the full set of 30,984 SNPs that were not identified using a subset of only 1,464 SNPs, including a previously unreported QTL for aluminum tolerance located directly within a recombination hotspot on chromosome 1. These results suggest that adding a high density of SNP markers to a mapping or breeding population through GBS has great value for numerous applications in rice breeding and genetics research.

BackgroundMaize stover is an important source of crop residues and a promising sustainable energy source in the United States. Stalk is the main component of stover, representing about half of stover dry weight. Characterization of genetic determinants of stalk traits provide a foundation to optimize maize stover as a biofuel feedstock. We investigated maize natural genetic variation in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to detect candidate genes associated with traits related to stalk biomass (stalk diameter and plant height) and stalk anatomy (rind thickness, vascular bundle density and area).ResultsUsing a panel of 942 diverse inbred lines, 899,784 RNA-Seq derived single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were identified. Stalk traits were measured on 800 members of the panel in replicated field trials across years. GWAS revealed 16 candidate genes associated with four stalk traits. Most of the detected candidate genes were involved in fundamental cellular functions, such as regulation of gene expression and cell cycle progression. Two of the regulatory genes (Zmm22 and an ortholog of Fpa) that were associated with plant height were previously shown to be involved in regulating the vegetative to floral transition. The association of Zmm22 with plant height was confirmed using a transgenic approach. Transgenic lines with increased expression of Zmm22 showed a significant decrease in plant height as well as tassel branch number, indicating a pleiotropic effect of Zmm22.ConclusionSubstantial heritable variation was observed in the association panel for stalk traits, indicating a large potential for improving useful stalk traits in breeding programs. Genome-wide association analyses detected several candidate genes associated with multiple traits, suggesting common regulatory elements underlie various stalk traits. Results of this study provide insights into the genetic control of maize stalk anatomy and biomass.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12870-019-1653-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Remarkable productivity has been achieved in crop species through artificial selection and adaptation to modern agronomic practices. Whether intensive selection has changed the ability of improved cultivars to maintain high productivity across variable environments is unknown. Understanding the genetic control of phenotypic plasticity and genotype by environment (G × E) interaction will enhance crop performance predictions across diverse environments. Here we use data generated from the Genomes to Fields (G2F) Maize G × E project to assess the effect of selection on G × E variation and characterize polymorphisms associated with plasticity. Genomic regions putatively selected during modern temperate maize breeding explain less variability for yield G × E than unselected regions, indicating that improvement by breeding may have reduced G × E of modern temperate cultivars. Trends in genomic position of variants associated with stability reveal fewer genic associations and enrichment of variants 0–5000 base pairs upstream of genes, hypothetically due to control of plasticity by short-range regulatory elements.

It has been just over a decade since the release of the maize (Zea mays) Nested Association Mapping (NAM) population. The NAM population has been and continues to be an invaluable resource for the maize genetics community and has yielded insights into the genetic architecture of complex traits. The parental lines have become some of the most well-characterized maize germplasm, and their de novo assemblies were recently made publicly available. As we enter an exciting new stage in maize genomics, this retrospective will summarize the design and intentions behind the NAM population; its application, the discoveries it has enabled, and its influence in other systems; and use the past decade of hindsight to consider whether and how it will remain useful in a new age of genomics.