QTL mapping of resistance to sheath blight in maize（Zea mays L.）

Maize sheath blight (Rhizoctonia Solani) is a widely occurring fungus disease with great harm to corn-pro- ducing regions in the world. The first happening of sheath blight in China was reported in Jilin Province as early as in 1966[1]. Since the 1970s, the enlargement of corn- growing regions, the application of maize hybrids, the increasing use of fertilizers, especially the nitrogenous fertilizer, and a higher growth-density, all have caused a quick spread of sheath blight, the occurring …     

Analysis of rice blast resistance genes by QTL mapping

Resistance to rice blast pathogen mostly shows a quantitative trait controlled by several minor genes. Its complexity and the mutable characteristic of rice blast isolates both hinder the development of the blast resistance research. The article here tried to explore the resistance gene distribution on rice chromosomes and the way of function. Totally 124 QTLs have been identified against 20 isolates using Cartographer software with a ZYQ8/JX17 DH population, which separately are at 100 loci of 72 marker intervals on 12 rice chromosomes. Of them, 16 QTLs were determined by the isolate HB-97-36-1. 82 QTLs (66.13%) are from the resistant parent alleles, ZYQ8, while 42 QTLs (33.87%) are from the susceptible parent alleles, JX17. In comparison of their positions on chromosome, most QTLs are clustered together and distributed nearby the major genes especially the regions on chromosomes 1, 2, 8, 10 and 12. Each QTL could account for the resistance variation between 3~2%-68.64%. And, a positional QTL might display the resistance to several different isolates with different contributions.     

Identification of RAPD marker linked with fertility-restoring gene of cytoplasmic male sterile lines in upland cotton

Bulked segregant analysis was employed to construct two mixed DNA pools to screen the RAPd marker linked with the fertility-restoring gene(Rf _i) of upland cotton. A total of 425 arbitrary 10-mer oligonucleotide primers were screened on two DNA pools, bulked male fertile and sterile DNAs isolated from BC₃ segregating population of (0-613-2R X Simian No. 3). Three primers produced repeatable polymorphisms between the paired bulks and their parents. DNA was extracted and amplified with these three primers for 92 plants of (Zhong 12A-1 × 0-613-2R)F₂. Based on the male fertility scoring and RAPD amplification, it is found that one RAPD marker fragment designated OPV-15₃₀₀ was linked with the fertility-restoring gene (Rf₁) with a recombination value of 13.0±2.57%.     

Construction of a linkage map and QTL mapping for fiber quality traits in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

With the development in spinning technology, the improvement of cotton fiber quality is becoming more and more important. The main objective of this research was to construct a high-density genetic linkage map to facilitate marker assisted selection for fiber quality traits in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). A genetic linkage map comprising 421 loci and covering 3814.3 cM, accounting for approximately 73.35% of the cotton genome, was constructed using an F2 population derived from cross GX1135 (P 1 )×GX100-2 (P 2 ). Forty-four of 49 linkage groups were assigned to the 26 chromosomes. Fiber quality traits were investigated in F2 population sampled from individuals, and in F2:3 , and F2:4 generations sampled by lines from two sites and one respectively, and each followed a randomized complete block design with two replications. Thirty-nine quantitative trait loci were detected for five fiber quality traits with data from single environments (separate analysis each): 12 for fiber length, five for fiber uniformity, nine for fiber strength, seven for fiber elongation, and six for fiber micronaire, whereas 15 QTLs were found in combined analysis (data from means of different environments in F2:3 generation). Among these QTLs, qFL-chr5-2 and qFL-chr14-2 for fiber length were detected simultaneously in three generations (four environments) and verified further by combined analysis, and these QTLs should be useful for marker assisted selection to improve fiber quality in upland cotton.     

Fine mapping of the rice bacterial blight resistance gene Xa-4 and its co-segregation marker

An F₂ population developed from theXa-4 near isogenic lines, IR24 and IRBB4, was used for fine mapping of the rice bacterial blight resistance gene,Xa-4. Some restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers on the high-density map constructed by Harushima et al. and the amplified DNA fragments homologous to the conserved domains of plant disease resistance (R) genes were used to construct the genetic linkage map around the geneXa-4 by scoring susceptible individuals in the population.Xa-4 was mapped between the RFLP marker G181 and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) marker M55. The R gene homologous fragment marker RS13 was found co-segregating withXa-4 by analyzing all the plants in the population. This result opened an approach to map-based cloning of this gene, and marker RS13 can be applied to molecular marker-assisted selection ofXa-4 in rice breeding programs.     

Mapping of a new gene for brown planthopper resistance in cultivated rice introgressed fromOryza eichingeri

Wild rice species is an important source of useful genes for cultivated rice improvement. Some accessions of Oryza eichingeri (2n = 24, CC) from Africa confer strong resistance to brown planthopper (BPH), whitebacked planthopper (WBPH) and bacterial blight (BB). In the present study, restriction fragments length polymorphism (RFLP) and simple sequence repeats (SSR) analysis were performed on disomic backcross plants between Oryza sativa (2n = 24, AA) and O. eichingeri in order to identify the presence of O. eichingeri segments and further to localize BPH-resistant gene. In the introgression lines, 1—6 O. eichingeri segments were detected on rice chromosomes 1, 2, 6, or/and 10. The dominant BPH resistant gene, tentatively named Bph13(t), was mapped to chromosome 2, being 6.1 and 5.5 cM away from two microsatellite markers RM240 and RM250, respectively. The transfer and localization of this gene from O. eichingeri will contribute to the improvement of BPH resistance in cultivated rice.     

Breeding and molecular cytogenetic identification of wheat-Thinopyrum intermedium addition lines resistant to powdery mildew

Wheat-related species Th. intermedium was used to cross with common wheat Yannong 15. In the self progenies of the hybrid, two addition lines, Ⅱ-1-7-1 and Ⅱ-3-3-2, stable in cytology, were developed by cytology and powdery mildew resistance identification. Their chromosome number were 2n = 44 and formed 22 bivalents at PMC MI. In F₁ of the two addition lines crossing with Yannong 15, there appeared about one univalent at PMC MI, respectively. Resistance identification in greenhouse and field using the No. 15 and mixed strains of E. gramnis f. sp. tritici showed that they were immune to powdery mildew. Chromosome number and resistance identification using the F² single plants of the addition line crossing with Yannong 15 indicated that the resistant gene was located on the alien chromosomes. In situ hybridization using St and E genomic DNA as probe showed that the added chromosome in the two addition lines probably came from the E genome of Th. intermedium, which indicated that a pair of E genome chromosomes carried a new resistant gene to powdery mildew.     

水稻芒长及其分布特征相关QTL的定位

水稻芒的性状与驯化过程密切相关,具体表现为芒长短和芒的分布等．利用一个无芒品种越光（轮回亲本）和一个有芒品种Kasalath杂交产生的回交重组自交系群体,在上海、海南两地对芒长和芒的分布（芒出现比例）进行了相关分析及其相关基因（QTL）定位,结果发现这两个性状间存在显著的正相关．共检测到影响这两个性状的12个QTL,分布在6条染色体上的7个区域,贡献率介于2．90％-53．24％,其正效应大多来自有芒亲本Kasalath,但也有3个QTL正效应来自无芒亲本越光,并对这个现象产生的原因进行了讨论．本研究检测到的QTL及其两侧的分子标记可以用于水稻驯化的研究和理想型无芒品种分子辅助育种．     

QTL analysis of the rice seedling cold tolerance in a double haploid population derived from anther culture of a hybrid betweenindica andjaponica rice

A doubled haploid population, derived from anther culture of F₁ hybrid between a typicalindica cv. and ajaponica cv. has been used to investigate the seedling cold tolerance (SCT) in growth cabinet. By dynamically analyzing every day’s survival percentages of the parents and DH lines under 7-d cold plus 9-d normal temperature condition, the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for SCT have been mapped based on a molecular linkage map constructed from this population. The results show that two parents had significant differences in SCT and the segregation of SCT in DH lines was basically a continuous distribution with most serious injury on the 6th d of the cold treatment. A total of 4 QTLs for SCT have been identified on chromosomes 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The additive effects of qSCT-1, qSCT-2 and qSCT-3 have been contributed by thejaponica cv JX17, but that of qSCT-4 has been contributed by theindica cv ZYQ8. The mechanism of SCT seems complicated since the above 4 QTLs detected at different stages during the treatment. Further study on the genotypes for these SCT QTLs in the DH lines shows transgressive segregation. It is demonstrated that the lines with stronger SCT over JXI7 have 3–4 loci for SCT. Integration of these QTLs into an appropriate variety may lead to a successful rice breeding program for cold tolerance.     

Obtaining transgenic rice resistant to rice fungal blast disease by controlled cell death strategy

The strategy of the two-component system,composed of Barnase and Barstar which encode RNase and a specific inhibitor to the RNase respectively, is adopted to obtain transgenic rice resistant to rice fungal blast disease. In this study, two chimeric promoters, induced by rice blast fungus pathogen (Magnaporthe grisea), are fused with Barnase respectively to construct two plant expression vectors, pWBNBS and pPBNBS together with the Barstar driven by CaMV 35S promoter. The resistance of the transgenic rice lines to rice blast fungus disease and rice blight disease are evaluated. The results show that (1) the expression of Barnase is induced in rice leaves when inoculated with the spores of Magnaporthe grisea; (2) the induced expression level of Barnase surpasses the level of Barstar, which elicits a similar hypersensitive response (HR) in the leaves, and the transgenic plant shows high resistance to the rice fungal blast disease; and (3) transgenic rice plants also show obvious resistance to rice bacterial blight disease. Taken together, these results suggest that the transgenic rice plants harboring this two-component system acquire relatively broad spectrum resistance against pathogens, especially high resistance to rice fungal pathogen.     

Analysis of F1 hybrid and BC1 monosomic alien addition line plants from Brassica oleracea × Sinapis alba by GISH

Sterile and semi-fertile F₁ plants were obtained by intergeneric sexual hybridization between paternal Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra (genome CC, 2n=18) and maternal Sinapis alba (genome SS, 2n=24), BC₁ plants were obtained by backcrossing between paternal B. oleracea and maternal semi-fertile F₁ plants. Genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) combined with dual-colour fluorescence in situ hybridization (dcFISH) showed that sterile F₁ plants contained 21 chromosomes consisting of one B. oleracea chromosome set and one S. alba chromosome set, belonging to expected hybrids, and semi-fertile F₁ plants contained 30 chromosomes consisting of two B. oleracea chromosome sets and one S. alba chromosome set. It is obvious that the semi-fertile F₁ plants belong to unexpected hybrids. 1―3 trivalents were detected at meiotic metaphase I of semi-fertile F₁ pollen mother cells (PMCs). Different separation ratios of S chromosomes were detected at anaphase I. A monosomic alien addition line (MAAL) was identified by GISH-dcFISH from BC₁ plants; it contained 19 chromosomes consisting of 18 C chromosomes and 1 S chromosome. At meiotic metaphase I, 9 divalents from B. oleracea and one univalent from S. alba could be detected. Sometimes, one putative C-S trivalent could also be detected. The achievement of B. oleracea-S. alba monosomic alien addition lines lays a foundation for gene introgression, location and cloning.     

Identification of an AFLP marker linked to the stripe rust resistance geneYr10 in wheat

AFLP analysis of near-isogenic lines of the stripe rust resistance gene Yr10 was carried out with 6 PstⅠ- primers and 10 TaqⅠ-primers with the donor parent of Yr10 gene as the check. A total of about 4200 distinguishable bands were amplified, of which 5 were stable. The genetic linkage of the 5 polymorphic DNA fragments with the target gene were tested preliminarily on a segregating F₂ population derived from a cross between the gene donor parent “Moro” and susceptible cultivar “Mingxian 169”. The DNA fragment PT0502 was found closely linked to the Yr10 gene and cloned and sequenced. Based on the sequence specific primers for PCR were designed and synthesized. Genetic linkage analysis with 195 segregating F₂ plants indicated that the genetic distance was 0.5 cM between the main product SC₂₀₀ fragment produced by PCR with the primers and the Yr10 gene. The primers can be used to detect the Yr10 gene quickly, effectively and exactly.     

Genetic analysis of rice allelopathy

A double haploid population derived from anther culture of ZYQ8/JX17,a typical indica and japonica hybrid,was used in this study.The inhibited effect of water-soluble extract of 123 DH pure lines leaves on the lettuce roots growth was investigated,and the QTLs analysis of rice allelopathy was carried out.Totally,four QTLs related to rice allelopathy were detected,and they were on chromosomes,3,9,10 and 12,respectively.The LOD scores were 3.40,2.68,2.75 and 3.08,respectivel.Among them,additive effects of the QTLs on chromosomes 3 and 10 were 1.65 and 1.43,on chromosomes 9 and 12 were-1.44 and -1.58 respectively.Allelopathy characteristics of another three common rice varieties were also studied.     

Molecular dissection of genetic basis of significant correlation among five morphological traits in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

To enhance understanding of the genetic basis of trait correlation in rice, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population (F₆ and F₇) from a cross between Zhenshan97 and HR5 was employed to identify main quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and epistatic QTL (E-QTL). Highly significant positive correlations were detected among five traits of heading date (HD), plant height (PH), panicle length (PL), flag leaf length (FLL) and flag leaf width (FLW) in 2 environments. Four to 8 main QTLs were detected for an individual trait. No E-QTL was detected for PH. One, 4, 4 and 5 E-QTLs were detected for FLL, HD, FLW and PL, respectively. Each E-QTL individually explained less than 3% of trait variation except E-QFll1. Comparison of QTL results was made in order to dissect the genetic basis of trait correlation. We found that main QTLs with pleiotropic effects and QTL clusters were the main genetic basis of trait correlation. No E-QTL had pleiotropic effects. E-QTL played an important role in the genetic basis of individual trait, but it made a little contribution to trait correlation.     

控制水稻剑叶形态相关性状的数量基因位点(QTL)的定位

水稻籽粒中一半以上的碳水化合物来自剑叶的光合作用，剑叶形态改良一直是水稻株型育种的一个重要目标．利用一个日本主要种植的粳稻品种越光（轮回亲本）和一个印度的籼稻品种Kasalath杂交产生的回交重组自交系群体（backcross recombinant inbred lines，BILs）对剑叶形态中的3个主要性状（剑叶长、叶宽以及其叶面积）进行了相关分析及其数量基因位点（quantitative trait loci，QTL）的定位．研究表明，控制剑叶形态的3个主要性状间存在极显著的正相关，并检测到影响3个性状的8个QTL，分布在第1，3，4，6条染色体上，贡献率介于4．94％～22．07％，其中第4染色体上C1016标记和第6染色体上C556标记附近的共有6个QTL，其两侧的紧密分子标记在水稻株型分子育种上具有一定应用价值．     

Introduction of rice chitinase gene into wheat via low energy Ar+ beam implantation

A chitinase gene (RCH8) in plasmid vector pCAMBIA1308 was delivered into 3 wheat cultivars (Yangmai 158, Wan 9210, Wanmai 32) by low energy Ar⁺ beam-mediated method. Preliminary calli from treated mature embryos were first selected on hygromycin (Hm, 20 or 30 mg/L) containing medium. After the resistant calli formed, they were transferred to the regeneration medium with 10 or 20 mg/L Hm. All the three wheat varieties obtained transgenic plants. PCR and PCR-Southern assays showed that most plants regenerated from the resistant calli were positive transgenic plants. Southern blot of the positive green plants confirmed stable integration of alien DNA into wheat genome. The plant transformation frequencies varied with the variety and ion dose implanted. Wanmai 32 possessed the highest transformation frequency, reaching 3.8% at a suitable implantation dose. The transformation frequency of Yangmai 158 and Wan 9210 varied from 0.5% to 2.5% and from 0.5% to 1.4%, respectively. Progeny test for resistance to wheat scab showed that the leaf extract of R₁ generation inhibited the growth of wheat scab strain R₀ and F₁₅.     

Enhancing rice resistance to fungal pathogens by transformation with cell wall degrading enzyme genes from Trichoderma atroviride

Three genes encoding for fungal cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs), ech42, nag70 and gluc78 from the biocontrol fungus Trichoderma atroviride were inserted into the binary vector pCAMBIA1305.2 singly and in all possible combinations and transformed to rice plants. More than 1800 independently regenerated plantlets in seven different populations (for each of the three genes and each of the four gene combinations) were obtained. The ech42 gene encoding for an endochitinase increased resistance to sheath blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani, while the exochitinase-encoding gene, nag70, had lesser effect. The expression level of endochitinase but exochitinase was correlated with disease resistance. Nevertheless, exochitinase enhanced the effect of endochitinase on disease resistance when the two genes co-expressed in transgenics. Resistance to Magnaporthe grisea was found in all kinds of regenerated plants including that with single gluc78. A few lines expressing either ech42 or nag70 gene were immune to the disease. Transgenic plants are being tested to further evaluate disease resistance at field level. This is the first report of multiple of expression of genes encoding CWDEs from Trichoderma atroviride that result in resistance to blast and sheath blight in rice.     

Quantitative trait loci （QTLs） for quality traits related to protein and starch in wheat

Quality traits in wheat （Triticum aestirum L.） were studied by quantitative trait locus （QTL） analysis in a recombinant inbred line （RIL） population, a set of 131 lines derived from Chuan 35050 × Shannong 483 cross （ChSh）. Grains from RILs were assayed for 21 quality traits related to protein and starch. A total of 35 putative QTLs for 19 traits with a single QTL explaining 7.99-40.52% of phenotypic variations were detected on 10 chromosomes, 1D, 2A, 2D, 3B, 3D, 5A, 6A, 6B, 6D, and 7B. The additive effects of 30 QTLs were positive, contributed by Chuan 35050, the remaining 5 QTLs were negative with the additive effect contributed by Shannong 483. For protein traits, 15 QTLs were obtained and most of them were located on chromosomes 1 D, 3B and 6D, while 20 QTLs for starch traits were detected and most of them were located on chromosomes 3D, 6B and 7B. Only 7 QTLs for protein and starch traits were co-located in three regions on chromosomes 1D, 2A and 2D. These protein and starch trait QTLs showed a distinct distribution pattern in certain regions and chromosomes. Twenty-two QTLs were clustered in 6 regions of 5 chromosomes. Two QTL clusters for protein traits were located on chromosomes 1D and 3B, respectively, three clusters for starch traits on chromosomes 3D, 6B and 7B, and one cluster including protein and starch traits on chromosome 1D.     

Molecular markers linked to Rsa resistant to soybean mosaic virus

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is a severe disease in worldwide soybean production. A cross was made between Kefeng No. 1 with broad spectrum resistance to SMV and Nannong 1138–2, a susceptible cultivar. The inheritance of resistance to SMV strain Sa prevailing in southern China was analyzed. Results of x² test from inoculation experiment on parents F1, F2 and F3 lines showed that the resistance to strain Sa was controlled by a single dominant gene Rsa. BSA method was adopted and 900 random 10-mer primers were used to amplify total DNA from resistant pool and susceptible pool in order to obtain polymorphic bands in two bulks. 16 primers could generate polymorphic bands, of which OPW-05 and OPAS-06 could generate the most stable RAPD patterns. RAPD markers OPW-05₆₆₀ and OPAS-06₁₈₀₀ were found to be linked to Rsa. Their order and genetic distance were OPAS-06₁₈₀₀22.2cM Rsa10.1 cM OPW-05₆₆₀. Southern blotting showed that both OPAS-06₁₈₀₀ and 0PW-05₆₆₀ were low copy DNA in genomic DNA. 0PW-05₆₆₀ has been converted into an RFLP marker successfully. Additionally, pK644H, an RFLP marker, has been identified to be linked to 0PW-05₆₆₀, and their genetic distance was 37.4 cM.     

FISH analysis of the integration patterns in transgenic rice co-transformed by microprojectile bombardment

Using multi-color fluorescencein situ hybridization (FISH), we localized transferredbarnase-ps1 andpHctinG DNA sequences onto chromosomes of two transgenic rice plants, named Q12 and Q13, both of which were produced by micro-projectile bombardment. In both Q12 and Q13, each detected cell showed 2–3 signal spots on their chromosomes respectively. The signals of bothbarnase-ps1 andpHctinG were mostly detected in the adjacent chromosomal sites in which their signals were overlapped and could be recognized by the signal color on the metaphase chromosomes. Fiber FISH further demonstrated that the multiple copies in each of the two DNA sequences distributed adjacently on the DNA fiber in Q13. Combined with the results of Southern hybridization, the possible integration patterns in transgenic rice co-transformed by micro-projectile bombardment have been discussed.