Marker-assisted selection (MAS) for qualitative traits such as grain quality and resistance to certain diseases has proven to be highly effective. Multiple genes responsible for various quality components and disease resistances can be simultaneously stacked to boost the performance and to lengthen the commercial lifespan of high-yield varieties. Grain quality genes (fgr and Wx) and three disease resistance genes (Pita, Pik and Xa23) have been well characterized and used in MAS breeding. However, stacking all of them together into a single variety has not been reported. We reported here the stacking of the five genes into elite lines in rice. We achieved this through the development of functional markers from causal mutations at fgr, Wx and Pita, a gene-targeted marker at Pik and the use of a linked marker for Xa23. We employed and optimized the high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis method for use as the genotyping platform of fgr, Wx, Pik and Pita. By combining high-throughput DNA isolation, multiplex and nested-PCR methods, we showed that HRM could serve as cost-effective, highly automated, moderate-throughput and reliable non-gel genotyping platform for a small-scale MAS program.
