Confirmation of a Seed Yield QTL in Soybean

Abstract

Exotic germplasm can be an important source of genetic diversity for soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] improvement. Previously, four yield quantitative trait loci (QTL) had been identified in a cross between the exotic soybean plant introduction (PI) 68658 and the U.S. cultivar Lawrence. The confirmation of these QTL in other genetic backgrounds will provide further evidence of their usefulness in cultivar development. To confirm the four yield QTL, a population of 117 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) was developed from a backcross using a line from the initial PI 68658 mapping study as the donor parent and LD00–3309, a high‐yielding elite cultivar, as the recurrent parent. The confirmation population was grown in Illinois at two locations in 2008, 2009, and 2010. One yield QTL, linked to marker Satt300 on chromosome (Chr) 5, was confirmed across the experiment (p < 0.01), and the high‐yield allele was contributed by exotic parent PI 68658. This QTL was given the confirmed designation cqSeed yield‐002. A second yield QTL, linked to Satt474 on Chr 14, was significant (p < 0.05) across the experiment, with the high‐yield allele contributed by LD00–3309. Analysis of yield components from one location showed a significant increase in the total number of pods per plant associated with both of these markers. Our results provide evidence that valuable yield QTL exist in exotic soybean germplasm and that these QTL could be used to increase yield in modern cultivars.

QTL mapping for yield components and agronomic traits in a Brazilian soybean population

“…Moreover, at least six QTL have been reported for grain yield, specifically (Palomeque et al 2009, Sebastian et al 2010, Kim et al 2012, Fox et al 2015, besides the several QTL mapped for other grain yield components from different populations , Guzman et al 2007, Zhang et al 2010, Liu et al 2011, Liu et al 2013.…”

Prospects of genomic prediction in the USDA Soybean Germplasm Collection: Historical data creates robust models for enhancing selection of accessions

“…In 2004, Carter and coworkers estimated that among approximately 45,000 unique soybean accessions maintained in germplasm collections worldwide, only 1,000 have been used in applied breeding programs (Carter et al 2004). Beneficial alleles for traits like yield have been mined from exotic and wild germplasm (Tanksley et al 1996;Fox et al 2015), and breeders accept that landraces and exotic germplasm likely contain alleles that could enhance their germplasm, even for intensely selected traits, such as yield. However, efficiently mining such large germplasm collections with little knowledge on accession breeding values and the distribution of favorable alleles for complex traits like yield is a huge challenge, yet selecting exotic parents for yield improvement is just as critical as selecting elite parents.…”

Phenotypic and genomic selection for multi-trait improvement in soybean line and variety development

“…Estimates of identified QTLs for polygenic traits such as yield seem to be dependent on genetic background (Zhang et al 2017) and environmental influences (Wang et al 2014). In soybeans, 188 QTLs have been identified for yield (Sebastian et al 2010;Fox et al 2015). Also, more than 300 QTLs have been identified for seed weight, a yield component (https://www.soybase.org/).…”