GWAS-Based Prediction of Genes Regulating the Weight of Mobilized Reserved Seeds in Sweet Corn

Abstract

Seed reserve mobilization is a crucial physiological process during seed germination. Enhancing the reserve mobilization in sweet corn is vital for seed germination and seedling growth. In this study, a genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) was conducted to predict candidate genes for regulating the weight of mobilized reserved seeds (WMRS) and kernel weight (KW) in sweet corn. GWAS was performed using the BLINK model with the maize 56K SNP chip. The results indicated that there was a positive correlation between the WMRS and KW, with coefficients of variation of 68.18% and 44.63%. Association analysis identified thirteen SNPs associated with two traits, and linkage disequilibrium analysis revealed that eight of these SNPs were in strong linkage. A total of 298 candidate genes were identified within the confidence interval, of which 79 were annotated. About 20 candidate genes were identified through the comparison of homologous genes in Arabidopsis. These genes were enriched in regulating ribosome biogenesis, signal transduction, hormone synthesis, and RNA degradation processes. This study provides important insights into the genetic mechanisms governing germination traits in sweet corn, aiding further research into the localization and cloning of genes involved in the mobilization of reserve materials.