QTL mapping integrated with BSA-Seq analysis identifies a novel gene conferring resistance to brown planthopper from common wild rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.)

The brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stal, BPH) is one of the most destructive rice pests worldwide. GXU202 is a germplasm of common wild rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.) with high resistance to the BPH. In this study, genetic analysis indicated that the BPH-resistant phenotype of GXU202 is controlled by a major gene. Through the combination and comparison of QTL linkage and BSA-seq analyses, a novel gene locus, BPH41, conferring BPH resistance was identified. This gene locus was finely mapped to a 116-kb region delimited by W4-4-3 and W1-6-3 on chromosome 4. The markers D01031 and D01045 showed high accuracy in predicting phenotypes resistant to BPH, suggesting their reliability for marker-assisted selection of BPH41 in breeding BPH-resistant rice varieties. The present identification of BPH41 will establish a foundation for further map-based cloning and functional characterization of the gene.