QTL detection and MAS selection efficiency for lipid content in brown rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Rice lipid content as one of important ingredients of functional food and industrial products has become an entirely new target in the rice breeding programs worldwide. A genetic linkage map spanning 12 rice chromosomes with an average interval of 10.51 cM between markers was created using 172 DNA markers, which intended to elucidate genetic basis of lipid content in brown rice by QTL detection. Eight QTLs related to lipid content with LOD from 2.52 to 7.86 were mapped on chromosome1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9 using a doubled haploid (DH) population from a cross of ‘Samgang/Nagdong’ with field experiments for five years. Two QTLs of qLC5.1 and qLC6.1 in the intervals 5014-5024 and 6011-RM19696 were repeatedly detected over four years at average LOD scores of 4.85 and 4.21, respectively. Five of eight QTLs tend to increase the lipid content from ‘Samgang’ alleles. Epistatic and environmental effects played important roles and explained 42.20% of phenotype variations. Three QTLs of qLC6.1, qLC7.1 and qLC9.1 collectively explained much than 27% of phenotype variations and increased 0.25% of lipid content and, showed much than 85% of selection efficiency for the lines with high lipid contents in the F7 population from a cross of ‘Samgang/Nagdong’. Thus it provides the sufficient possibility to realize QTLs pyramiding and to promote process of rice breeding.