Mapping QTLs for nitrogen uptake in relation to the early growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

• Published in: Plant and soil 2006-06, Vol.284 (1-2), p.73-84
• Main Authors: An, D, Su, J, Liu, Q, Zhu, Y, Tong, Y, Li, J, Jing, R, Li, B, Li, Z
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; chromosome mapping; Chromosomes; Dry weight; Experimentation; Flowers & plants; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene mapping; Genetic loci; Grains; Growing season; Hydroponics; Mapping; Nitrogen; nutrient uptake; nutrient use efficiency; Nutrients; phenotypic variation; Plant growth; Plants; Quantitative trait loci; Seedlings; soil nutrients; Studies; Sustainable agriculture; Triticum aestivum; Wheat; Winter wheat
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-006-0030-3

The objective of this study was to map QTLs for N uptake (NUP) in wheat, and to investigate factors influencing NUP. Two independent field trials with low N (LN) and high N (HN) treatments were conducted in the growing seasons of 2002–2003 (trial 1) and 2003–2004 (trial 2) to measure NUP per plant (N accumulated in the aerial part at maturity stage) of a doubled haploid (DH) population consisting of 120 DH lines derived from winter wheat varieties Hanxuan 10 and Lumai 14. A hydroponic culture with all nutrients supplied sufficiently was conducted to investigate shoot dry weight (SDW), root dry weight (RDW), tiller number (TN) and NUP (total plant N uptake) per plant of this mapping population at seedling stage. SDW, RDW, TN and NUP investigated in the hydroponic culture were significantly and positively correlated with each other, and with NUP under both LN and HN conditions in the field trials. Nine and eight QTLs for NUP were detected under LN and HN conditions in the field trials, respectively. Four to five QTLs for SDW, RDW, TN and NUP were detected in the hydroponic culture. One SDW QTL, three RDW QTLs, two TN QTLs detected in the hydroponic culture were linked with QTLs for NUP under LN or HN condition in the field trials. The positive correlation and genetic linkage for the traits between the field trials and the hydroponic culture demonstrated that greater seedling vigor of root and shoot is an important factor influencing N uptake in wheat.