Agronomic and Genetic Evaluation on a Dull Mutant Line Derived from the Sodium Azide Treated ‘Namil’, a Non-Glutinous Japonica Rice

Abstract

Developing rice lines with various amylose contents is necessary to diverse usages of rice in terms of raw materials for processed food production, and thereby to promote rice consumption in Korea. A rice mutant line, 'Namil(SA)-dull1' was established through sodium azide mutagenesis on 'Namil', a non-glutinous Korean Japonica rice cultivar. Namil(SA)-dull1' had dull endosperm characteristics and the evaluated amylose content was 12.2%. A total of 94 F2 progenies from a cross between 'Namil(SA)-dull1' and 'Milyang23', a non-glutinous Tongil-type rice cultivar, was used for genetic studies on the endosperm amylose content. Association analyses, between marker genotypes of 53 SSR anchor markers and evaluated amylose contents of each 94 F2:3 seeds, initially localized rice chromosome 6 as the harboring place for the modified allele(s) directing low amylose content of 'Namil(SA)-dull1'. By increasing SSR marker density on the putative chromosomal region followed by association analyses, the target region was narrowed down 0.94 Mbp segment, expanding from 28.95 Mbp to 29.89 Mbp, on rice chromosome 6 pseu- domolecule. Among the SSR loci, RM7555 explained 84.2% of total variation of amylose contents in the F2 population. Further physical mapping on the target region directing low amylose content of 'Namil(SA)-dull1' would increase the breeding efficiency in developing promising rice cultivars with various endosperm characteristics.