title: Quantitative trait loci governing carotenoid concentration and weight in seeds of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).
abstract: Chickpea is a staple protein source in many Asian and Middle Eastern countries. The seeds contain carotenoids such as beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin in amounts above the engineered beta-carotene-containing "golden rice" level. Thus, breeding for high carotenoid concentration in seeds is of nutritional, socio-economic, and economic importance. To study the genetics governing seed carotenoids in chickpea, we studied the relationship between seed weight and concentrations of beta-carotene and lutein by means of high-performance liquid chromatography in segregating progeny from a cross between an Israeli cultivar and wild Cicer reticulatum Ladiz. Seeds of the cross progeny varied with respect to their carotenoid concentration (heritability estimates ranged from 0.5 to 0.9), and a negative genetic correlation was found between mean seed weight and carotenoid concentration in the F(3). To determine the loci responsible for the genetic variation observed, the population was genotyped using 91 sequence tagged microsatellite site markers and two CytP450 markers to generate a genetic map consisting of nine linkage groups and a total length of 344.6 cM. Using quantitative data collected for beta-carotene and lutein concentration and seed weight of the seeds of the F(2) population, we were able to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) by interval mapping. At a LOD score of 2, four QTLs for beta-carotene concentration, a single QTL for lutein concentration and three QTLs for seed weight were detected. The results of this investigation may assist in improving the nutritional quality of chickpea.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Science and Genetics in Agriculture, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel. abbo@agri.huji.ac.il
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abbo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jungmann
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Grusak
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Berkovitch
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reifen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kahl
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reifen
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D029863:Cicer / Q000235:genetics*; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D007557:Israel; D008126:Lod Score; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002338:Carotenoids