Mapping of QTL for yield and its related traits in a doubled haploid population of Korean wheat

This study was conducted to identify the quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with grain yield and its related traits by analysis of 122 doubled haploid population derived from a cross between Korean wheat cultivars carried different yield potential. DH population was evaluated in replicated field trials in 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 at upland and paddy conditions in Iksan, Korea. Grain yield and its related traits, including days to heading and maturity, culm and spike length, spike number per m², kernel number per spike, and thousand kernel weight, were investigated. A genetic map was constructed with 140 microsatellite marker loci and a total of nine QTLs were identified on eight chromosomes for grain yield and its related traits. The three QTLs, Xgpw2206, Xgwm247, and Xwmc471, were detected on chromosomes 2A, 3A, and 3B, and explained 10.1–22.8 % of phenotypic variation for grain yield. Among these QTLs, Xgpw2206 and Xgwm247 explained 10.7–37.9 % of phenotypic variation for days to heading and maturity, spike length, spike number per m², and kernel number per spike. Other six QTLs on chromosomes 2D, 4A, 5A, 6A, and 7A accounted for 11.4–39.9 % of phenotypic variation for culm and spike length, spike number per m², and thousand kernel weight. Those three QTLs for grain yield were applied to validate relationship between genotypes of QTL and 25 Korean wheat cultivars. Korean wheat cultivars carried hha genotypes based on the order of those three QTLs, showed higher GY (664.4 kg/10a) than genotype bha (494.2 kg/10a). Those three QTLs could be used in marker-assisted selection to improve grain yield and its related traits in Korean wheat breeding programs.