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. 2017 May 22:8:813.
doi: 10.3389/fpls.2017.00813. eCollection 2017.

Quantitative Trait Locus Analysis for Deep-Sowing Germination Ability in the Maize IBM Syn10 DH Population

Hongjun Liu  1 , Lin Zhang  2 , Jiechen Wang  3 , Changsheng Li  4 , Xing Zeng  2 , Shupeng Xie  5 , Yongzhong Zhang  6 , Sisi Liu  7 , Songlin Hu  8 , Jianhua Wang  9 , Michael Lee  8 , Thomas Lübberstedt  8 , Guangwu Zhao  10
Affiliations

Quantitative Trait Locus Analysis for Deep-Sowing Germination Ability in the Maize IBM Syn10 DH Population

Hongjun Liu et al. Front Plant Sci. .

Abstract

Deep-sowing is an effective measure to ensure seeds absorbing water from deep soil layer and emerging normally in arid and semiarid regions. However, existing varieties demonstrate poor germination ability in deep soil layer and some key quantitative trait loci (QTL) or genes related to deep-sowing germination ability remain to be identified and analyzed. In this study, a high-resolution genetic map based on 280 lines of the intermated B73 × Mo17 (IBM) Syn10 doubled haploid (DH) population which comprised 6618 bin markers was used for the QTL analysis of deep-sowing germination related traits. The results showed significant differences in germination related traits under deep-sowing condition (12.5 cm) and standard-germination condition (2 cm) between two parental lines. In total, 8, 11, 13, 15, and 18 QTL for germination rate, seedling length, mesocotyl length, plumule length, and coleoptile length were detected for the two sowing conditions, respectively. These QTL explained 2.51-7.8% of the phenotypic variance with LOD scores ranging from 2.52 to 7.13. Additionally, 32 overlapping QTL formed 11 QTL clusters on all chromosomes except for chromosome 8, indicating the minor effect genes have a pleiotropic role in regulating various traits. Furthermore, we identified six candidate genes related to deep-sowing germination ability, which were co-located in the cluster regions. The results provide a basis for molecular marker assisted breeding and functional study in deep-sowing germination ability of maize.

Keywords: IBM Syn10 DH population; deep-sowing; germination ability; maize; quantitative trait locus.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Morphological observation of germinated seeds at 7 days under 12.5 cm sowing depth. (a) Deep-sowing germination of Mo17 and B73; (b) The structure of seedlings.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The histogram of frequency distribution of germination-related traits under two sowing depths in IBM Syn10 population. (A) Mesocotyl length at 12.5 cm sowing depth; (B) Coleoptile length at 12.5 cm sowing depth; (C) Plumule length at 12.5 cm sowing depth; (D) Seedling length at 12.5 cm sowing depth; (E) Germination rate at 12.5 cm sowing depth; (F) Mesocotyl length at 2 cm sowing depth; (G) Coleoptile length at 2 cm sowing depth; (H) Plumule length at 2 cm sowing depth; (I) Seedling length at 2 cm sowing depth; (J) Germination rate at 2 cm sowing depth.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Chromosomal location of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for deep-sowing germination ability (present in each chromosome left) and standard germination ability (present in each chromosome left) in IBM Syn10 population. DSGR, DSML, DSCL, DSPL, DSSL represents germination rate, mesocotyl length, coleoptile length, plumule length, and seedling length under 12.5 cm sowing depth; SGGR, SGML, SGCL, SGPL, SGSL represents germination rate, mesocotyl length, coleoptile length, plumule length, and seedling length under 2 cm sowing depth, respectively.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Relative expression of six candidate genes in 7-day-old seedlings between parental lines B73 and Mo17. Means followed by the symbol *, **, *** at 5, 1, 0.1% level of significance by Student's t-test, respectively.
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