Fine mapping of quantitative trait loci for acid phosphatase activity in maize leaf under low phosphorus stress

Acid phosphatase (APase) is very important in phosphorus (P) scavenging and remobilization in plants. The aim of this study was the fine mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for APase activity (APA) in maize (Zea mays L.) leaf. The QTL for APA were studied in the F2:3 population derived from the cross 082 × Ye107 under low P stress in two sites. A significant difference in APA was found between 082 (P-efficient genotype) and Ye107 (P-deficient genotype). Each environment was analyzed to identify the QTL. Six QTL for APA were found, comprising two QTL at Beibei (BB) and four QTL at Hechuan (HC), China. A QTL denoted as AP9 showed a stable expression under different environments on chromosome 9, and explained 10.21 and 16.81 % of phenotypic variation at BB and HC, respectively. For the fine mapping of this QTL, seven individuals selected via marker-assisted selection in the BC3F1 population were used to produce the BC3F2 lines by selfing and to allow recombination within the region containing the target QTL. High-resolution genetic and physical maps were further constructed for the fine mapping of AP9 using 12 simple sequence repeat markers and the BC3F2 population consisting of 1,441 individuals. As a result, the location of AP9 was narrowed down to a 546-kb fragment on chromosome 9.