Identification of loci controlling forage yield and nutritive value in diploid alfalfa using GBS-GWAS

We attempted to identify genomic regions controlling forage yield and nutritive value in alfalfa. Several candidate genes and associated genetic markers were identified that could potentially be useful for alfalfa breeding to more efficiently develop improved cultivars. Alfalfa is one of the most widely cultivated forage legumes worldwide and improving alfalfa forage yield and nutritive value is a major global breeding goal. Genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) provides cost-effective molecular marker genotyping for genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Using more than 15,000 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) identified from GBS, we conducted a GWAS to investigate forage yield and nutritive value-related traits. We have detected a number of associations for all the traits evaluated and a number of associations detected were located on the Medicago truncatula genome. The SNP in a coding region of a cell wall biosynthesis gene was associated with several cell wall-related traits, and we suggest that it may be the causative polymorphism. Two other SNPs residing in meristematic development and early growth genes were found to associate with the total biomass yield. None of the SNPs associated with regrowth after harvest or with spring regrowth were mapped to the M. truncatula genome, possibly reflecting the fact that M. truncatula is an annual species related to alfalfa that typically has limited ability to regrow. The alleles we identify with the major impact on forage yield and nutritive value can be rapidly incorporated into our breeding program.