Mapping QTL for Seed Protein and Oil Content in Eight Soybean Populations

Abstract

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seeds contain high levels of protein and oil useful for human consumption. Increasing emphasis in breeding programs to produce soybeans with specific protein or oil content for specialty markets demands that more efficient manipulation of these traits be achieved. The objective of this study was to evaluate eight different soybean populations from the midwestern USA for genetic markers linked to seed protein and oil content. The populations were derived from the breeding programs at the Univ. of Minnesota, the Univ. of Nebraska, and Purdue Univ.‐USDA‐ARS. Each population consisted of between 69 and 100 individuals and was mapped with 21 to 85 restriction fragment length polymorphism markers. The F2‐derived populations were grown in field tests in 1992, 1993, and 1994 in the state in which they originated. Single factor analysis of variance was used to detect significant associations between markers and traits. Environmentally stable and environmentally sensitive quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified for both protein and oil contents in all eight populations. The identified QTL were sensitive to both environment and genetic background although some common QTL were identified in multiple populations across several years. The results show that a number of QTL affect these traits and that markers could potentially be used in breeding programs designed to alter the seed protein and oil content.

QTL mapping for protein content in soybean cultivated in two tropical environments

“…According to the Soybase (2008), 76 QTL have been identified and reported as related to protein content. However, little consistency has been observed for QTL expressed in different environments or different populations (Brummer et al, 1997;Fasoula et al, 2004;Panthee et al, 2005). In the present study, this fact might be explained by the high genotype vs. environment interaction observed and by the fact that these QTL can be considered environmentally sensitive (Brummer et al, 1997).…”

“…However, little consistency has been observed for QTL expressed in different environments or different populations (Brummer et al, 1997;Fasoula et al, 2004;Panthee et al, 2005). In the present study, this fact might be explained by the high genotype vs. environment interaction observed and by the fact that these QTL can be considered environmentally sensitive (Brummer et al, 1997). Although research on QTL tends to emphasize their validation in different environments and populations, in a real selection scheme, for many times, there are genes of interest which are specific to a certain environment.…”

Present and future of quantitative trait locus analysis in plant breeding

“…There are now several examples of QTL-environment (QTL · E) interactions, showing that the expression of particular chromosome regions differs across environments (Patterson et al 1991, Stuber et al 1992, Koester et al 1993, Jansen et al 1995, Ragot et al 1995, Tinker et al 1996, Monforte et al 1997b, Brummer et al 1997, Sari-Gorla et al 1997, Melchinger et al 1998, Hemamalini et al 2000. The proportion of this kind of QTL is especially impressive in fruit and forest tree species (Ası´ns et al 1994, Conner et al 1998, Emebiri et al 1998, Garcia et al 2000.…”

Identification of SSR markers associated with seed coat permeability and electrolyte leaching in soybean

“…Diers et al (1992) used the same interspecific soybean population to identify several molecular marker loci that were significantly associated with QTLs for seed protein and oil. Other workers utilized molecular markers to identify several genomic regions significantly associated with seed protein, oil, seed weight and sucrose content in different intraspecific soybean populations (Mansure et al, 1993;Lee et al, 1996;Mian et al, 1996;Maughan et al, 1996;Brummer et al, 1997). The objective of this study was to use SSR markers to identify quantitative trait loci associated with seed coat permeability and electrolyte leaching in an intraspecific F 2 soybean population.…”