Marker - trait association analysis for yield related traits in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Abstract

This study was undertaken to identify marker-trait associations for twelve yield related traits with a set of 48 rice genotypes. A total of 38 polymorphic SSR markers across the 12 chromosomes of rice were used for the association analysis. Marker-trait associations were performed using mixed linear model approach. A total of 84 significant marker-trait associations were detected at Pd £ 0.05 with the R2 values ranging from 6.71 to 27.24%. The most significant marker associations for days to 50% flowering on chromosome 12 with RM17, plant height on chromosome 4 with RM7051, panicle length on chromosome 7 with RM125, flag leaf length on chromosome 9 with RM219, flag leaf breadth on chromosome 10 with RM216, effective tiller per plant on chromosome 5 with RM164, total grains per panicle on chromosome 12 with RM28305, hundred grain weight on chromosome 1 with RM6324, grain yield per plant and grain length on chromosome 8 with RM8264, grain breadth on chromosome 7 with RM320 and grain length-breadth ratio on chromosome 1 with RM6324. The present study has revealed that the twenty-three markers showed association with more than one trait and correlated traits such as panicle length, total grains per panicle, hundred grain weight, grain yield per plant, grain length, grain breadth and grain length-breadth ratio were located in the same chromosome regions. These traits may be controlled by genes which have pleotropic effect. The result suggest that marker-trait association analysis is a fascinating tool to identify marker-trait association for complex traits using diverse rice genotypes. The SSR markers identified in this study would be useful in marker assisted selection for the improvement of yield related traits in rice.