AUTHOR=Shi Weiping , Hao Chenyang , Zhang Yong , Cheng Jingye , Zhang Zheng , Liu Jian , Yi Xin , Cheng Xiaoming , Sun Daizhen , Xu Yanhao , Zhang Xueyong , Cheng Shunhe , Guo Pingyi , Guo Jie 

TITLE=A Combined Association Mapping and Linkage Analysis of Kernel Number Per Spike in Common Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2017

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2017.01412

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2017.01412

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Kernel number per spike (KNPS) in wheat is a key factor that limits yield improvement. In this study, we genotyped a set of 264 cultivars, and a RIL population derived from the cross Yangmai 13/C615 using the 90 K wheat iSelect SNP array. We detected 62 significantly associated signals for KNPS at 47 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci through genome-wide association analysis of data obtained from multiple environments. These loci were on 19 chromosomes, and the phenotypic variation attributable to each one ranged from 1.53 to 39.52%. Twelve (25.53%) of the loci were also significantly associated with KNPS in the RIL population grown in multiple environments. For example, <italic>BS00022896_51-2A</italic><sub><italic>TT</italic></sub>, <italic>BobWhite_c10539_201-2D</italic><sub><italic>AA</italic></sub>, <italic>Excalibur_c73633_120-3B</italic><sub><italic>GG</italic></sub>, and <italic>Kukri_c35508_426-7D</italic><sub><italic>TT</italic></sub> were significantly associated with KNPS in all environments. Our findings demonstrate the effective integration of association mapping and linkage analysis for KNPS, and underpin KNPS as a target trait for marker-assisted selection and genetic fine mapping.</p>