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QTLs for flag leaf size and their influence on yield-related traits in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

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Abstract

Flag leaf-related traits (FLRTs) are determinant traits affecting plant architecture and yield potential in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). In this study, a recombinant inbred line population with 188 lines, derived from the cross between Kenong9204 and Jing411, was developed to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for flag leaf width (FLW), length (FLL), and area (FLA) under both low nitrogen and high nitrogen treatments. A total of 38 QTLs were detected in eight environments (year × location × treatment). Of these, two QTLs for FLW on chromosomes 4B and 6B (qFlw-4B.3 and qFlw-6B.2) and one for FLA on chromosome 5B (qFla-5B) were major stable QTLs. Both phenotypic and QTL mapping analyses indicated that FLW was the major contributor to flag leaf size. To investigate the genetic relationship between FLRTs and yield-related traits (YRTs) at the QTL level, both unconditional and multivariable conditional QTL mapping for YRTs with respect to FLRTs were conducted. Twelve QTL clusters simultaneously controlling FLRTs and YRTs were identified. In comparison with unconditional QTL mapping, conditional QTL mapping analysis revealed that most but not all the QTL for YRTs were improved by FLRTs. At the QTL level, FLA had the greatest contribution to YRTs, followed by FLW and FLL. This study provided a genetic foundation from which to obtain desirable plant architecture and improve yield potential in wheat breeding programs.

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Abbreviations

FLRTs :

Flag leaf-related traits

FLW :

Flag leaf width

FLL :

Flag leaf length

FLA :

Flag leaf area

YRTs :

Yield-related traits

SL :

Spike length

SN :

Spikelet number

KN :

Kernel number

KW :

Kernel weight per spike

KJ-RILs :

Recombinant inbred line population derived from the cross between Kenong9204 and Jing411

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No. 2011AA100103), Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. XDA08030107), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31471573), and the Ministry of Agriculture of China (No. CARS-03-03B).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang, 050022, China

      Xiaoli Fan, Fa Cui, Chunhua Zhao, Wei Zhang, Jun Ji & Junming Li

    2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

      Xiaoli Fan, Jie Han & Qiannan Su

    3. State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

      Fa Cui, Chunhua Zhao, Wei Zhang, Xueqiang Zhao, Jun Ji, Yiping Tong & Junming Li

    4. Xinxiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinxiang, 453000, China

      Lijuan Yang & Zongwu Zhao

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    1. Xiaoli Fan
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    2. Fa Cui
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    3. Chunhua Zhao
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    Correspondence to Fa Cui or Junming Li.

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    Xiaoli Fan and Fa Cui have contributed equally to this work.

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    Fan, X., Cui, F., Zhao, C. et al. QTLs for flag leaf size and their influence on yield-related traits in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Mol Breeding 35, 24 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11032-015-0205-9

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