Maize(Zea mays L.) root morphology exhibits a high degree of phenotypic plasticity to nitrogen(N) de ficiency,but the underlying genetic architecture remains to be investigated Using an advanced BC_4F_3 population...Maize(Zea mays L.) root morphology exhibits a high degree of phenotypic plasticity to nitrogen(N) de ficiency,but the underlying genetic architecture remains to be investigated Using an advanced BC_4F_3 population,we investigated the root growth plasticity under two contrasted N levels and identi fied the quantitative trait loci(QTLs) with QTL-environment(Q×E)interaction effects. Principal components analysis(PCA) on changes of root traits to N de ficiency(D LN-HN) showed that root length and biomass contributed for 45.8% in the same magnitude and direction on the first PC,while root traits scattered highly on PC_2 and PC_3. Hierarchical cluster analysis on traits for D LN-HN further assigned the BC_4F_3 lines into six groups,in which the special phenotypic responses to N de ficiency was presented These results revealed the complicated root plasticity of maize in response to N de ficiency that can be caused by genotype environment(G×E) interactions. Furthermore,QTL mapping using a multi-environment analysis identi fied 35 QTLs for root traits. Nine of these QTLs exhibited signi ficant Q×E interaction effects. Taken together,our findings contribute to understanding the phenotypic and genotypic pattern of root plasticity to N de ficiency,which will be useful for developing maize tolerance cultivars to N de ficiency.展开更多
基金supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(2011CB100305,2012AA100304)National Natural Science Foundation of China(31172015,31421092,31572186)+2 种基金Danish Strategic Research Council(NUTRIEFFICIENT 10-093498)European Community the Seventh Framework Programme for Research(NUE-CROPSFP7-CP-IP 222645)Chinese Universities Scientific Fund(2015ZH001)
文摘Maize(Zea mays L.) root morphology exhibits a high degree of phenotypic plasticity to nitrogen(N) de ficiency,but the underlying genetic architecture remains to be investigated Using an advanced BC_4F_3 population,we investigated the root growth plasticity under two contrasted N levels and identi fied the quantitative trait loci(QTLs) with QTL-environment(Q×E)interaction effects. Principal components analysis(PCA) on changes of root traits to N de ficiency(D LN-HN) showed that root length and biomass contributed for 45.8% in the same magnitude and direction on the first PC,while root traits scattered highly on PC_2 and PC_3. Hierarchical cluster analysis on traits for D LN-HN further assigned the BC_4F_3 lines into six groups,in which the special phenotypic responses to N de ficiency was presented These results revealed the complicated root plasticity of maize in response to N de ficiency that can be caused by genotype environment(G×E) interactions. Furthermore,QTL mapping using a multi-environment analysis identi fied 35 QTLs for root traits. Nine of these QTLs exhibited signi ficant Q×E interaction effects. Taken together,our findings contribute to understanding the phenotypic and genotypic pattern of root plasticity to N de ficiency,which will be useful for developing maize tolerance cultivars to N de ficiency.