Popping volume (PV), flake size (FS) and popping rate (PR) are three important popping characteristics in popcorn (Zea mays L.). We developed 259 F 2:3 lines from a cross between a dent corn inbred ÔDan232Õ and a popcorn inbred ÔN04Õ that were grown during spring and summer to evaluate the three popping characteristics. Fifteen quantitative trait loci (QTL) were detected on chromosomes 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8 using composite interval mapping. The numbers of QTL were 6, 4 and 5 for PV, FS and PR, respectively, with phenotypic variance explained ranging from 4.9% to 15.6% for a single QTL, accounting for a total of 54.0%, 34.5% and 39.1% of the total phenotypic variance respectively. Partially dominance and overdominance effects played an important role in popping characteristics. Only 13 pairs of digenic interactions were detected. The QTL on chromosome bin 1.05-1.06 for PV and PR, and 5.07 for FS were in accordance with previous reports and could be good candidate QTL for marker-assisted selection. There was a significant correlation amongst QTL on chromosomes 1, 6 and 8 for PV and PR.

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Popping expansion volume (PEV) is the most important quality trait in popcorn, while its germplasm is inferior to normal dent/Xint corn in yield. In this study, 259 F 2:3 families, developed from the cross between a dent corn inbred Dan232 and a popcorn inbred N04, were evaluated for their PEV, grain weight per plant (GWP) and 100-grain weight (100 GW) in two environments. The genetic relationship between PEV and GWP, and 100 GW on individual gene loci were evaluated using unconditional and conditional QTL mapping methods. In total, Wve, one and three unconditional QTL were identiWed for PEV, GWP, and 100 GW, respectively. The positive alleles of all QTL for PEV were from N04, while positive alleles of all QTL for GWP and 100 GW were from Dan232. In conditional mapping, one and two QTL failed to be detected, and all four additional QTL were detected. Nevertheless, three QTL were identiWed, which controlled PEV independently from GWP/100 GW. They seemed to be potential candidates in popcorn breeding to increase PEV without decreasing GWP/100 GW. The results suggested that for signiWcantly correlated traits, the conditional QTL mapping method could be used to dissect the genetic interrelationship between traits at the level of individual QTL, as well as reveal additional QTL that were undetectable by unconditional mapping.