Abstract
Lodging is a persistent problem which severely reduce yield and impair seed quality in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). Enhancing stem strength (SS) has proven to be an effective approach to decrease lodging risk. In the present study, four interrelated stem lodging-related traits, including stem breaking resistance (SBR), stem diameter (SD), SS, and lodging coefficient (LC), were investigated among 472 rapeseed accessions. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) using Brassica 60K SNP array for stem lodging-related traits identified 67 significantly associated quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and 71 candidate genes. In parallel, a gene co-expression network based on transcriptome sequencing was constructed. The module associated with cellulose biosynthesis was highlighted. By integrating GWAS and gene co-expression network analysis, some promising candidate genes, such as ESKIMO1 (ESK1, BnaC08g26920D), CELLULOSE SYNTHASE 6 (CESA6, BnaA09g06990D), and FRAGILE FIBER 8 (FRA8, BnaC04g39510D), were prioritized for further research. These findings revealed the genetic basis underlying stem lodging and provided worthwhile QTLs and genes information for genetic improvement of stem lodging resistance in B. napus.
Highlights
Lodging can be defined as the permanent displacement of shoots from their vertical standpoint (Berry, 2013)
The spurious association between traits and markers would emerge when population structure was ignored. To reduce both Type I and II errors, it is essential to deepen the understanding of population structure in rapeseed
The same population was used for association mapping, the elbow of K emerged at K = 3
Summary
Lodging can be defined as the permanent displacement of shoots from their vertical standpoint (Berry, 2013). High-yield cultivars accompanying heavy canopy are more prone to stem lodging For rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), lodging is a persistent problem, leading to 20–46% yield loss and almost 4% oil content reduction during flowering (Kendall et al, 2017) and impeding crops harvesting (Berry, 2013; Hua et al, 2014). One of the prerequisites for high-yield breeding is to develop stem lodging resistance. Stem lodging risk can be decreased by reducing plant height (PH) and by increasing the physical strength of stem (Shah et al, 2017). The major focus for improving lodging resistance is to enhance stem strength (SS)
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