QTL architecture of reproductive fitness characters in Brassica rapa

BMC Plant Biology

Research Article

Jennifer M Dechaine¹  Cynthia Weinig²  Marcus T Brock² 

[1] Department of Biological Sciences, Central Washington University, 98926, Ellensburg, WA, USA;Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, 82071, Laramie, WY, USA;

关键词: Fitness components;    Life-history traits;    Phenotypic plasticity;    Transgenerational effects;    Yield;    Brassica rapa;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2229-14-66

 received in 2013-07-16, accepted in 2014-03-03,  发布年份 2014

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundReproductive output is critical to both agronomists seeking to increase seed yield and to evolutionary biologists interested in understanding natural selection. We examine the genetic architecture of diverse reproductive fitness traits in recombinant inbred lines (RILs) developed from a crop (seed oil) × wild-like (rapid cycling) genotype of Brassica rapa in field and greenhouse environments.ResultsSeveral fitness traits showed strong correlations and QTL-colocalization across environments (days to bolting, fruit length and seed color). Total fruit number was uncorrelated across environments and most QTL affecting this trait were correspondingly environment-specific. Most fitness components were positively correlated, consistent with life-history theory that genotypic variation in resource acquisition masks tradeoffs. Finally, we detected evidence of transgenerational pleiotropy, that is, maternal days to bolting was negatively correlated with days to offspring germination. A QTL for this transgenerational correlation was mapped to a genomic region harboring one copy of FLOWERING LOCUS C, a genetic locus known to affect both days to flowering as well as germination phenotypes.ConclusionsThis study characterizes the genetic structure of important fitness/yield traits within and between generations in B. rapa. Several identified QTL are suitable candidates for fine-mapping for the improvement of yield in crop Brassicas. Specifically, brFLC1, warrants further investigation as a potential regulator of phenology between generations.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Dechaine et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2014