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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Raleigh, North Carolina » Plant Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #342112
Title: Quantitative trait loci associated with soybean seed weight and composition under different phosphorus levels

Author
item HACISALIHOGLU, GOKHAN - Florida A & M University
item Burton, Amy
item GUSTIN, JEFFERY - University Of Florida
item EKER, SELIM - Cukurova University
item ASIKLI, SAFIYE - Cukurova University
item HEYBET, ELIF - Cukurova University
item OZTURK, LEVENT - Sabanci University
item CAKMA, ISMAIL - Sabanci University
item YAZIC, ATILLA - Sabanci University
item Burkey, Kent
item ORF, JAMES - University Of Minnesota
item SETTLES, MARK - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Journal of Integrative Plant Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/16/2017
Publication Date: 3/1/2018
Citation: Hacisalihoglu, G., Burton, A.L., Gustin, J., Eker, S., Asikli, S., Heybet, E., Ozturk, L., Cakma, I., Yazic, A., Burkey, K.O., Orf, J., Settles, M. 2018. Quantitative trait loci associated with soybean seed weight and composition under different phosphorus levels. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology. 60:232-241.

Interpretive Summary: Phosphorus is an essential macronutrient and required for growth and development of plants. In terrestrial ecosystems, availability of soil phosphorus to plant roots constitutes a major limitation to plant productivity. In soybean, phosphorus is the most limiting essential nutrient. In this study, a soybean mapping population developed by scientists from USDA-ARS and the University of Minnesota was used by a team of researchers at Florida A&M University to identify DNA markers for phosphorus responsive genes. Markers were identified that support seed yield under low phosphorus conditions. The results will contribute to genetic improvement of soybean performance in phosphorus-limited environments.

Technical Abstract: Seed size and composition are important in food crop plants and can be affected by nutrient availability in the soil. Phosphorus (P) is a non-renewable, essential macronutrient, and P deficiency limits soybean yield and quality. Soybean (Glycine max) recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from the cross of Fiskeby III and Mandarin (Ottawa) were grown under contrasting P availability environments to investigate the association of seed and plant traits in low and high P environments. Traits including individual seed weight, seed number, and intact, mature pods were significantly affected by soil P levels and showed transgressive segregation among the RILs. Surprisingly, the P treatments did not affect seed composition or weight suggesting that the plant is able to maintain sufficient P in seeds even in our low P soil. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were detected for seed weight, intact pods, volume, and protein. Five QTLs were significant in low P environments, and one QTL was significant in optimal P environment. Broad-sense heritability estimates were 0.78 (individual seed weight), 0.90 (protein), 0.34 (oil), 0.98 (seed number). The QTLs under low P identify genetic regions that can be used to improve soybean performance under limiting P conditions.