QTL and epistatic interaction underlying leaf chlorophyll and H2O2 content variation in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

It is meaningful to study the genetics of the traits associated with photosynthesis such as leaf chlorophyll and H2O2 contents for high yield breeding in rice. A mapping population of 98 BC1F9 lines (backcross Inbred Lines, BIL), derived from a backcross of Nipponbare (japonica)/Kasalath(indica)//Nipponbare by the single-seed-descent methods, was employed to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying such rice traits as leaf chlorophyll and H2O2 contents. Five and two QTLs were detected for leaf Chlorophyll and H2O2 content variation, respectively. Among the QTLs detected, q-Chl1 on chromosome 1 accounted for 22% variation for leaf chlorophyll content variation. The alleles from Nipponbare increased stature at the locus; On the other hand, q-H2O2(1) which associated with H2O2 content was also located on the same region as q-Chl1. The alleles from Nipponbare decreased stature at this locus. The 2 traits have the 2 QTL sharing the same chromosome locations, which was located between C86 and C813 on chromosome 1. Epistasis analysis showed QTL with interaction distributed on chromosome 2, 6, 11 and 12. However, no QTL interacted with q-Chl1 or q-H2O2(1) was detected. It can be deduced that alleles from Nipponbare at the region between C86 and C813 on chromosome 1 increases leaf chlorophyll content and decreases H2O2 content at the mean time with significant additive effect but little epistasis.