Genetic analysis identifies quantitative trait loci controlling rosette mineral concentrations in Arabidopsis thaliana under drought.
Rosettes of 25 Arabidopsis thaliana accessions and an Antwerp-1 (An-1) x Landsberg erecta (Ler) population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) grown in optimal watering conditions (OWC) and water deficit conditions (WDC) were analysed for mineral concentrations to identify genetic loci involved in adaptation of mineral homeostasis to drought stress. Correlations between mineral concentrations were determined for accessions and a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis was performed for the RIL population. Plant growth and rosette mineral contents strongly decreased in WDC compared with OWC. Mineral concentrations also generally decreased, except for phosphorus (P), which remained constant, and potassium (K), which increased. Large variations in mineral concentrations were observed among accessions, mostly correlated with total rosette leaf area. Mineral concentration QTLs were identified in the RIL population, but only a few were common for both conditions. Clusters of mineral concentration QTLs often cosegregated with dry weight QTLs. Water deficit has a strong effect on rosette mineral status. This is genetically determined and seems largely a pleiotropic effect of the reduction in growth. The low number of common mineral concentration QTLs, shared among different RIL populations, tissues and conditions in Arabidopsis, suggests that breeding for robust, mineral biofortified crops will be complex.
Ghandilyan
Artak
A
Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, Arboretumlaan 4, NL-6703 BD Wageningen, the Netherlands.
Barboza
Luis
L
Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, Arboretumlaan 4, NL-6703 BD Wageningen, the Netherlands.|Current address: Centro para Investigaciones en Granos y Semillas (CIGRAS), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
Tisné
Sébastien
S
Laboratoire d'Ecophysiologie des Plantes sous Stress Environnementaux UMR759, INRA-SUPAGRO, Place Viala, F-34060 Montpellier, France.
Granier
Christine
C
Laboratoire d'Ecophysiologie des Plantes sous Stress Environnementaux UMR759, INRA-SUPAGRO, Place Viala, F-34060 Montpellier, France.
Reymond
Matthieu
M
Max-Planck-Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, D-50829 Köln, Germany.
Koornneef
Maarten
M
Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, Arboretumlaan 4, NL-6703 BD Wageningen, the Netherlands.|Max-Planck-Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, D-50829 Köln, Germany.
Schat
Henk
H
Ecology and Physiology of Plants, Faculty Biology, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Aarts
Mark G M
MGM
Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, Arboretumlaan 4, NL-6703 BD Wageningen, the Netherlands.
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018533:Biomass; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D055864:Droughts; D004843:Epistasis, Genetic; D005838:Genotype; D007178:Inbreeding; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci / Q000235:genetics*; D014867:Water
D008903:Minerals; D014867:Water