Putative quantitative trait loci associated with calcium content in soybean seed

Seed calcium content is an important quality attribute of specialty soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] for soyfoods. However, analyzing seed for calcium content is time consuming and labor intensive. Knowing quantitative trait loci (QTL) for seed calcium will facilitate the development of elite cultivars with proper calcium content through marker-assisted selection (MAS). The objective of this study was to identify major QTL associated with calcium content in soybean seed. Calcium content was tested in 178 F(2:3) and 157 F(2:4) lines derived from the cross of SS-516 (low calcium) x Camp (high calcium). The F(2:3) lines were genotyped with 148 simple sequence repeat markers in a previous study on seed hardness, and the genotypic data were used in the QTL analysis of the current study. Four QTL designated as Ca1, Ca2, Ca3, and Ca4 on linkage groups (LGs) A2, I, and M were identified by both single-marker analysis and composite-interval mapping, and the QTL accounted for 10.7%, 16.3%, 14.9%, and 9.7% of calcium content variation, respectively. In addition, multiple-interval mapping analysis revealed a significant dominant-by-dominant interaction effect between Ca1 and Ca3, which accounted for 4.3% calcium content variation. These QTL will facilitate the implementation of MAS for calcium content in soybean-breeding programs.