Mapping quantitative trait loci for yield components and morphological traits in an advanced backcross population between Oryza grandiglumis and the O. sativa japonica cultivar Hwaseongbyeo

Introgression has been achieved from wild species Oryza grandiglumis (2n=48, CCDD, Acc. No. 101154) into O. sativa subsp. japonica cv. Hwaseongbyeo as a recurrent parent. An advanced introgression (backcross) line, HG101, produced from a single plant from BC5F3 families resembled Hwaseongbyeo, but it showed differences from Hwaseongbyeo in several traits, including days to heading and culm length. To detect the introgressions, 450 microsatellite markers of known chromosomal position were used for the parental survey. Of the 450 markers, 51 (11.3%) detected O. grandiglumis segments in HG101. To characterize the effects of alien genes introgressed into HG101, an F2:3 population (150 families) from the cross Hwaseongbyeo/HG101 was developed and evaluated for 13 agronomic traits. Several lines outperformed Hwaseongbyeo in several traits, including days to heading. Genotypes were determined for 150 F2 plants using simple sequence repeat markers. Qualitative trait locus (QTL) analysis was carried out to determine the relationship between marker genotype and the traits evaluated. A total of 39 QTL and 1 gene conferring resistance to blast isolate were identified using single-point analysis. Phenotypic variation associated with each QTL ranged from 4.2 to 30.5%. For 18 (46.2%) of the QTL identified in this study, the O. grandiglumis-derived alleles contributed a desirable agronomic effect despite the overall undesirable characteristics of the wild phenotype. Favorable wild alleles were detected for days to heading, spikelets per panicle, and grain shape traits. Grain shape QTL for grain weight, thickness, and width identified in the F2:3 lines were further confirmed based on the F4 progeny test. The confirmed locus, tgw2 for grain weight is of particular interest because of its independence from undesirable height and maturity. Several QTL controlling amylose content and grain traits have not been detected in the previous QTL studies between Oryza cultivars, indicating potentially novel alleles from O. grandiglumis. The QTL detected in this study could be a rich source of natural genetic variation underlying the evolution and breeding of rice.