Zhang et. al. used QTL mapping to identify key genetic traits in sorghum that improve grain characteristics for Maotai-flavor liquor production, offering insights for targeted breeding.

Keywords: Candidate genes, Genetic mapping, Grain traits, Quantitative trait locus (QTL), Sorghum

Since its introduction in the Yuan Dynasty, sorghum has become essential for producing Maotai-flavor liquor in China, creating high demand and necessitating specific grain traits suitable for brewing. Scientists from Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences leveraged quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping to enhance sorghum breeding. By analyzing a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population, researchers identified 20 QTLs across various environments, affecting traits such as grain size, shape, and weight. These findings align with more than 180 previously reported QTLs for sorghum grain traits, validating the effectiveness of QTL mapping for understanding complex genetic influences on brewing-specific characteristics in sorghum.

Among the identified QTLs, those on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, and 4 coincide with loci reported in previous studies, while six QTLs appear novel. These newly detected QTLs may reflect unique genetic variation in the Chinese glutinous sorghum variety HYZ, which was part of this study’s mapping population. Candidate genes within these QTL intervals share homology with known rice genes regulating grain size and weight, underscoring potential applications for sorghum. Notable candidates include Sobic.001G455900, similar to rice’s OsMADS1, which influences grain size, and Sobic.004G214100, associated with cell wall biosynthesis. These results mark significant progress in sorghum genetics, setting the stage for precise breeding strategies to optimize grain characteristics in brewing sorghum, meeting rising Maotai-flavor liquor demands.

SorghumBase examples: 

Figure 1: Sorghum Sobic.001G455900 (or SORBI_3001G455900) is a candidate gene found within the interval of qGW1.1, one of the QTLs for grain-related traits identified in this study, and is homologous to rice OsMADS1, which encodes a MADS domain transcription factor that regulates grain size and shape, thus improving the quality and yield of rice. Searching for Sobic.001G455900 in SorghumBase renders by default a gene family tree with 92.9% genes sharing a MADS-box domain and indicates rice LHS1 (also known as OsMADS1) to be it’s closest annotated homolog with 78% amino acid identity.
Figure 2: Two QTLs for grain weight and one for grain element concentration map to the Sobic.001G455900 gene region. By clicking on a QTL name, an inset offers cross-links to the corresponding trait page for a list of all the genomic locations that the trait has been associated with, and to the OZ Sorghum QTL Atlas.
Figure 3: By clicking on the closest annotated homolog of Sobic.001G455900, the rice OsMADS1 gene can be examined in detail. For example, the Pathways tab indicates that translation of this gene is part of the flower development process. Relevant articles that support the function of this gene are available in the Papers tab, as well as an interactive form to suggest additional articles that directly support the gene’s function(s).

Reference:

Cao N, Ding Y, Xu J, Cheng B, Gao X, Li W, Zou G, Zhang L. QTL analysis of sorghum grain traits based on high-density genetic map. J Appl Genet. 2024 Sep 21. PMID: 39305455. doi: 10.1007/s13353-024-00904-w. Read more

QTL Mapping of Grain Traits in Sorghum for Enhanced Maotai-Flavor Liquor Production

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *