title: Genome-Wide Association and Transcriptome Analyses Reveal Candidate Genes Underlying Yield-determining Traits inBrassica napus.
abstract: Yield is one of the most important yet complex crop traits. To improve our understanding of the genetic basis of yield establishment, and to identify candidate genes responsible for yield improvement inBrassica napus, we performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for seven yield-determining traits [main inflorescence pod number (MIPN), branch pod number (BPN), pod number per plant (PNP), seed number per pod (SPP), thousand seed weight, main inflorescence yield (MIY), and branch yield], using data from 520 diverseB. napusaccessions from two different yield environments. In total, we detected 128 significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 93 of which were revealed as novel by integrative analysis. A combination of GWAS and transcriptome sequencing on 21 haplotype blocks from samples pooled by four extremely high-yielding or low-yielding accessions revealed the differential expression of 14 crucial candiate genes (such asBna.MYB83, Bna.SPL5, andBna.ROP3) associated with multiple traits or containing multiple SNPs associated with the same trait. Functional annotation and expression pattern analyses further demonstrated that these 14 candiate genes might be important in developmental processes and biomass accumulation, thus affecting the yield establishment ofB. napus. These results provide valuable information for understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying the establishment of high yield inB. napus, and lay the foundation for developing high-yieldingB. napusvarieties.
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China; School of Management, Xihua UniversityChengdu, China.
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China; Oil Research Institute of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural SciencesGuiyang, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Junhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Zhongchun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Xingfu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Cunmin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Liezhao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Qinlong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Industrial Crops Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Minglian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Industrial Crops Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Jiana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
keywords: Brassica napus; candidate genes; genome-wide association study; transcriptome sequencing; yield-determining traits