Further Mapping and Epistasis Analysis of Two Quantitative Trait Loci of Kernel and Cob Anthocyanin Contents in Maize

Abstract

In our previous study, two major quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for kernel anthocyanin content in maize (Zea mays L.) were mapped on chromosome 6 and chromosome 10 by using two related F2:3 populations derived from crosses of ‘Mu6’ × ‘Super Dark Maize’ (SDM) and ‘Mo17’ × SDM. In this study, two sets of near isogenic lines, MuS‐BC4F3 and MoS‐BC4F3, were developed and used to further map the two QTLs and analyze the epsitasis between the two QTLs. GEN6 was further mapped in the interval S8‐umc1105 on chromosome 6 for MuS‐BC4F3 and S8 to mmc0523 on chromosome 6 for MoS‐BC4F3. GEN10 was further mapped in the interval IDP8526 to S44 on chromosome 10 for MuS‐BC4F3 and bnlg1028 to IDP8526 on chromosome 10 for MoS‐BC4F3. GEN6 and GEN10 controlled both kernel anthocyanin content and cob anthocyanin content. The epistasis between GEN6 and GEN10 was a coadaptive interaction. The anthocyanin content is likely to greatly increase when GEN6 and GEN10 coexist. Additive × dominant (AD) effects were the largest of all the epistatic effects for kernel anthocyanin content; additive × additive (AA) effects were the largest for cob anthocyanin content. These results could provide a new reference for anthocyanin's genetic mechanism and high anthocyanin breeding in maize.

Mapping QTL for summer dormancy related traits in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)

“…Compared to the 103-2 LGs, male LGs showed higher number of epistatic interactions might be due to lack of marker coverage in the female LGs, which is completely in agreement with QTL detection phenomena encountered in this study. Till now, most epistatic studies have been involved with plant height, ear height, total leaf number per plant, ear leaf length, ear leaf width, ear leaf area, and other agronomic traits 44 . Summer dormancy is a very complex phenomenon exhibited by the plants under multiple abiotic stress conditions.…”