Tagging quantitative trait loci for heading date and plant height in important breeding parents of rice ( Oryza sativa )

Heading date and plant height are important determinants for plant growth rate. In this study, simple sequence repeat markers were used to tag quantitative trait loci (QTL) using a recombinant inbred line mapping population derived from two important breeding parents, genetic stock Kaybonnet lpa 1-1 and indica cultivar Zhe733, using data collected under field and greenhouse conditions. Interval mapping, composite interval mapping, and multiple interval mapping were performed to map QTL for heading date and plant height, and to identify epistatic interactions between the QTL. qHD3.1 on chromosome 3 from KBNT lpa 1-1 had the largest effect on heading date contributing an average of 28.4 % of the total phenotypic variation. qHD7.1 , 7.2 , and 8.1 also had a significant contribution to heading date from Zhe733 averaging 8.1, 12.8, and 12.8 % of the phenotypic variance, respectively, and there was a positive additive-by-additive epistatic interaction between qHD7.1 and qHD8.1 . QTL, qPHT1.1 and qPHT3.1 , for plant height were detected on chromosomes 1 and 3, respectively. qPHT1.1 contributed the largest effect representing 38.2 % of the total phenotypic variation. Comparison of the QTL identified in our study with previous results revealed that the chromosomal locations for QTL coincided closely with positions reported previously in other rice populations worldwide, suggesting that these QTL have coevolved and become domesticated. The tightly linked SSR markers that flank these QTL should be desirable for tagging heading date and plant height genes and facilitating their incorporation into advanced breeding lines using marker assisted selection.