Abstract
Background Verticillium wilt (VW) caused by Verticillium dahliae (Kleb) is one of the most destructive diseases of cotton. The identification of highly resistant QTLs or genes in the whole cotton genome is quite important for developing a VW-resistant variety and for further molecular design breeding.ResultsIn the present study, BC1F1, BC1S1, and BC2F1 populations derived from an interspecific backcross between the highly resistant line Hai1 (Gossypium barbadense L.) and the susceptible variety CCRI36 (G. hirsutum L.) as the recurrent parent were constructed. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to VW resistance were detected in the whole cotton genome using a high-density simple sequence repeat (SSR) genetic linkage map from the BC1F1 population, with 2292 loci covering 5115.16 centiMorgan (cM) of the cotton (AD) genome, and the data concerning VW resistance that were obtained from four dates of BC2F1 in the artificial disease nursery and one date of BC1S1 and BC2F1 in the field. A total of 48 QTLs for VW resistance were identified, and 37 of these QTLs had positive additive effects, which indicated that the G. barbadense alleles increased resistance to VW and decreased the disease index (DI) by about 2.2–10.7. These QTLs were located on 19 chromosomes, in which 33 in the A subgenome and 15 QTLs in the D subgenome. The 6 QTLs were found to be stable. The 6 QTLs were consistent with those identified previously, and another 42 were new, unreported QTLs, of which 31 QTLs were from G. barbadense. By meta-analysis, 17 QTL hotspot regions were identified and 10 of them were new, unreported hotspot regions. 29 QTLs in this paper were in 12 hotspot regions and were all from G. barbadense.ConclusionsThese stable or consensus QTL regions warrant further investigation to better understand the genetics and molecular mechanisms underlying VW resistance. This study provides useful information for further comparative analysis and marker-assisted selection in the breeding of disease-resistant cotton. It may also lay an important foundation for gene cloning and further molecular design breeding for the entire cotton genome.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-3128-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Verticillium wilt (VW) caused by Verticillium dahliae (Kleb) is one of the most destructive diseases of cotton
This study provides useful information for further comparative analysis and marker-assisted selection in the breeding of disease-resistant cotton
It may lay an important foundation for gene cloning and further molecular design breeding for the entire cotton genome
Summary
Verticillium wilt (VW) caused by Verticillium dahliae (Kleb) is one of the most destructive diseases of cotton. G. barbadense (sea-island cotton), is grown in only limited areas because of its relatively low yield and limited adaptability, despite its strong resistance to Verticillium disease and extra-long, fine, strong, fibers. Verticillium wilt (VW) is one of the important diseases of cotton (G. hirsutum L.) worldwide It is caused by Verticillium dahliae (Kleb.), a soil-borne fungal pathogen that has a broad range of hosts and moves among them using a variety of mechanisms. It is found in almost all cotton growing areas worldwide This disease broke out in China in 1993, resulting in the infection of approximately 80 % of the cotton crop in the seriously infected region of cotton in North China and lint yield losses of 100 million kg in the whole China in that year [6, 7]. The VW has not been effectively controlled mainly due to its biology characteristics, the indeterminacy of the genetic mechanism of resistance to VW and the lack of highly resistant commercial Upland cotton varieties, except for some modern Acala cotton cultivars developed in California and New Mexico [4]
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