Fine mapping of qHd1, a minor heading date QTL with pleiotropism for yield traits in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

KEY MESSAGE: A minor QTL for heading date located on the long arm of rice chromosome 1 was delimitated to a 95.0-kb region using near isogenic lines with sequential segregating regions. Heading date and grain yield are two key factors determining the commercial potential of a rice variety. In this study, rice populations with sequential segregating regions were developed and used for mapping a minor QTL for heading date, qHd1. A total of 18 populations in six advanced generations through BC2F6 to BC2F11 were derived from a single BC2F3 plant of the indica rice cross Zhenshan 97 (ZS97)///ZS97//ZS97/Milyang 46. The QTL was delimitated to a 95.0-kb region flanked by RM12102 and RM12108 in the terminal region of the long arm of chromosome 1. Results also showed that qHd1 was not involved in the photoperiodic response, having an additive effect ranging from 2.4 d to 2.9 d observed in near isogenic lines grown in the paddy field and under the controlled conditions of either short day or long day. The QTL had pleiotropic effects on yield traits, with the ZS97 allele delaying heading and increasing the number of spikelets per panicle, the number of grains per panicle and grain yield per plant. The candidate region contains ten annotated genes including two genes with functional information related to the control of heading date. These results lay a foundation for the cloning of qHd1. In addition, this kind of minor QTLs could be of great significance in rice breeding for allowing minor adjustment of heading date and yield traits.