Abstract
Leaf size is a crucial component of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) plant architecture and further influences yield potential. Despite that it is well known that leaf size traits are quantitative traits controlled by large numbers of genes, quantitative trait loci (QTL) and candidate genes for sesame leaf size remain poorly understood. In the present study, we combined the QTL-seq approach and SSR marker mapping to identify the candidate genomic regions harboring QTL controlling leaf size traits in an RIL population derived from a cross between sesame varieties Zhongzhi No. 13 (with big leaves) and ZZM2289 (with small leaves). The QTL mapping revealed 56 QTL with phenotypic variation explained (PVE) from 1.87 to 27.50% for the length and width of leaves at the 1/3 and 1/2 positions of plant height. qLS15-1, a major and environmentally stable pleiotropic locus for both leaf length and width explaining 5.81 to 27.50% phenotypic variation, was located on LG15 within a 408-Kb physical genomic region flanked by the markers ZMM6185 and ZMM6206. In this region, a combination of transcriptome analysis with gene annotations revealed three candidate genes SIN_1004875, SIN_1004882, and SIN_1004883 associated with leaf growth and development in sesame. These findings provided insight into the genetic characteristics and variability for sesame leaf and set up the foundation for future genomic studies on sesame leaves and will serve as gene resources for improvement of sesame plant architecture.
Highlights
Sesame is a traditional and ancient oil crop
Studies in other crops suggested that leaf size traits are quantitative traits that ascribe to combinations of multiple genes with a minor effect for each gene (Bian et al, 2014)
quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to flag leaf length (FLL), flag leaf width (FLW), and flag leaf area (FLA) have been detected in cereal crops using various populations (Liu et al, 2015)
Summary
Sesame is a traditional and ancient oil crop. It has been cultivated for more than five thousand years in Asia and has been considered a high-quality oil crop and health food for humans (Cheng et al, 2006; Namiki, 2007; Takada et al, 2015). QTL and Candidate Genes Controlling Leaf Size in Sesame (Govaerts et al, 1996; Bar and Ori, 2014). QTL related to flag leaf length (FLL), flag leaf width (FLW), and flag leaf area (FLA) have been detected in cereal crops using various populations (Liu et al, 2015). Tang et al (2018) detected 14 and 8 QTL, respectively, for FLL and FLW in rice using a CSSL population. Among these rice QTL, qFW4-2 was located to a 37-kb region, with the most possible candidate gene which previously detected NAL1. To date, no QTL and candidate genes related to leaf size traits have been reported in sesame
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