AUTHOR=Katoch Megha , Mane Rushikesh Sanjay , Chahota Rakesh Kumar 

TITLE=Identification of QTLs Linked to Phenological and Morphological Traits in RILs Population of Horsegram (Macrotyloma uniflorum)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2021

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2021.762604

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2021.762604

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=Horsegram (Macrotyloma uniflorum) is an important legume but understudied in terms of its genetic improvement. Genetic information on various phenological and morphological traits may help in the utilization of new genes for breeding in horsegram and thus affect agronomic practices and crop yield. In this study, we used an intraspecific F8 recombination inbred line population of 162 individuals derived from HPKM249 × HPK4 cross to construct a genetic linkage map and to identify quantitative trait locus (QTLs) associated with phenological and morphological traits. Out of the total 2011 molecular markers which were screened on parental lines for polymorphism survey, 493 markers were found to be polymorphic and used for genotyping of the RIL population. Of these 493 polymorphic markers, 295 were mapped on ten linkage groups at LOD 3.5 spanning a total distance of 1541.7cM with an average distance between markers of 5.20 cM. Phenotypic data of two years at two different locations were used to identify QTLs by composite interval mapping (CIM). A total of four QTLs (LOD ≥ 2.5) for phenological traits (days to 50% flowering, reproductive period and days to maturity) and seven QTLs (LOD ≥ 2.5) for morphological traits (plant height, primary branches and secondary branches) were detected across different environments. The phenotypic variation explained by QTLs ranged from 6.36 to 47.53 percent. This study will increase the genetic resources in this orphan crop that would provide genomics tools to breeders for further genetic enhancement through molecular-assisted selection.