Quantitative trait loci mapping of panicle traits in rice

In this study 90 individuals of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were developed by crossing subspecies of japonica rice cultivar, ‘Nagdong’ and an indica type cultivar, ‘Cheongcheong’. These individuals were used to identify the quantitative trait loci of panicle traits using SSR markers. A genetic linkage map was constructed using one hundred fifty four simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers covering distance of 1973.6 cM of the whole genome with mean distance of 13.9 cM among markers. QTLs were mapped using composite interval mapping method, nineteen QTLs were recognized for the panicle traits on chromosomes 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12 with individual QTL explained 8.8% to 37.9% of phenotypic variation. Two pleiotropic effects loci were found on chromosomes 4 and 6. These QTLs affecting leaf traits, panicle traits and panicle branch traits would be beneficial to high-yield rice improvement.