Identification of quantitative trait loci in rye introgression lines carrying multiple donor chromosome segments

Introgression libraries can be used to make favorable genetic variation of exotic donor genotypes available in the genetic background of elite breeding material. Our objective was to employ a combination of the Dunnett test and a linear model analysis to identify favorable donor alleles in introgression lines (ILs) that carry long or multiple donor chromosome segments (DCS). We reanalyzed a dataset of two rye introgression libraries that consisted of ILs carrying on average about four donor segments. After identifying ILs that had a significantly better per se or testcross performance than the recipient line with the Dunnett test, the linear model analysis was in most instances able to clearly identify the donor regions that were responsible for the superior performance. The precise localization of the favorable DCS allowed a detailed analysis of pleiotropic effects and the study of the consistency of effects for per se and testcross performance. We conclude that in many cases the linear model analysis allows the assignment of donor effects to individual DCS even for ILs with long or multiple donor segments. This may considerably increase the efficiency of producing sub-ILs, because only such segments need to be isolated that are known to have a significant effect on the phenotype.