Major gene with polygene inheritance analysis of shoot architecture traits in Viola cornuta

• Published in: Scientia horticulturae 2022-09, Vol.303, p.111204, Article 111204
• Main Authors: Du, Xiaohua, Wang, Hu, Liu, Jiayi, Zhu, Xiaopei, Mu, Jinyan, Feng, Xiandan, Liu, Huichao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Inheritance; Joint segregation analysis; Pansies; Shoot architecture
• ISSN: 0304-4238; 1879-1018
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scienta.2022.111204

•The shoot architecture- related traits of V. cornuta were mainly controlled by genetic factors.•An additive major gene controlled the plant height of V. cornuta.•The internode length, shoot number, and pedicel length of V. cornuta were regulated by two additive major genes, respectively.•The plant width and shoot angle of V. cornuta were governed by two equally additive major genes, respectively. The shoot architecture of Viola cornuta affects its uniformity, aesthetics, and lodging resistance. Understanding the genetic variance in the traits of the shoot architecture has practical significance for V. cornuta breeding. However, not much is currently known about these traits. In this study, we analyzed the genetic basis of seven traits (plant height-PH, plant width-PW, plant width/plant height-PW/PH, internode length-IL, shoot number-SN, shoot angle-SA, and pedicel length-PL) in V cornuta using major gene plus polygene mixed inheritance analysis based on four generations (P1, P2, F1, and F2). These seven traits had varied coefficients of variation (CVs), among which that of the IL was the highest. Significant positive correlations (correlation coefficient > 0.5) were observed for two groups: 1) PH and PW/PH and 2) IL and PH and PW. Genetic analysis revealed that V. cornuta PH adhered to the A-1 model via one additive major gene. The optimal model for PW, PW/PH, and SA was the B-4 model, namely two equally additive major genes model. IL, SN, and PL could be described by the B-2 genetic model via two additive major genes. Additionally, the heritability of these major genes was close to (and sometimes exceeded) 50%, indicating that the shoot architecture traits of V. cornuta were mainly controlled by genetic factors. Our findings may provide new theoretical data for quantitative trait locus mapping and breeding of desirable shoot architectures in V. cornuta.