QTL analysis for soil-surface roots originating from a New Plant Type rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The introgression line YTH16 harbouring chromosome segments from the New Plant Type cultivar IR65600–87–2-2–3 with genetic background of an Indica Group rice IR 64 forms soil-surface roots. To clarify the genetic mechanism, QTL analysis was performed using hybrid populations derived from a cross between IR 64 and YTH16. A total of eight QTLs were detected in the three introgressed segments on chromosomes 2, 5 and 7. Seven chromosome segment lines (CSLs) combining these three QTL regions were selected from the progenies. The two CSLs harbouring a single region (excluding the CSL with a region on chromosome 5) showed high scores and low means of root angle distribution in comparison with IR 64. Four CSLs harbouring two or three regions showed high scores and low means of root angle distribution in comparison with YTH16 and the CSLs harbouring a single QTL region. These results indicated that the soil-surface rooting of YTH16 was controlled by the three QTLs’ regions and that chr. 5 particularly played a role in supporting the effect with others.