Genetic mapping of quantitative trait loci in rye (Secale cereale L.)

Using the marker information of 275 F-2 plants quantitative traits determining morphological and yield characters were studied analyzing F-3 progenies grown in four different experiments at three sites. The map constructed contains 113 markers including the major dwarfing gene Ddw1 with an average distance of about 10 cM between adjacent markers. Of the 21 QTLs detected ten were found to map on chromosome 5RL in the region of Ddw1. Beside the expected effects on plant height and peduncle length that are most probably due to the presence of the major dwarfing gene, additional effects on yield characters and flowering time were discovered in that region which may be caused by pleiotropic effects of Ddw1. An additional supposed gene cluster consisting of four QTLs controlling flowering time and yield components was discovered in the centromere region of chromosome 2R. Further loci are distributed on chromosomes 1R (1), 4R (1) 6R (3) and 7R (1). The map positions of the quantitative trait loci detected in rye are discussed in relation to major genes or QTLs determining agronomically important traits in other cereals.