Mapping QTLs associated to germination stability following dry-heat treatment in rice seed

Using 164 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between Milyang 23 (indica/japonica) and Gihobyeo (japonica) in rice, dry-heat tolerance was evaluated for the seeds of parents and RILs, whose dormancy was naturally broken in six months after harvesting. Mapping QTLs associated to dry-heat tolerance was carried out through interval mapping using Qgene 3.0. Seed germination after dry-heat treatments (90 °C for 24 h) showed a significant difference between the two parents, when evaluated for percentage germination and mean germination time. Milyang 23 was highly tolerant to the dry-heat treatment, while Gihobyeo was sensitive. Three QTLs (qDHT 1, qDHT 5, and qDHT 7) conferring the dry-heat tolerance were mapped to chromosomes 1, 5 and 7, respectively. qDHT 1 on chromosome 1 was tightly linked at 4 cM from ME1-1. The phenotypic variation explained by the three QTLs was 27.18% of the total variance in the 164 RIL populations, and the parental additive effects of three QTLs affected the Milyang 23 allele increased dry-heat tolerance. The detection of new QTLs associated with dry-heat tolerance will provide important information for disease and insect control, using dry-heat treatment in organic or low input sustainable agriculture.