Mapping and Validation of QTLs for the Amino Acid and Total Protein Content in Brown Rice

Highly nutritious rice production will be benefited with the improvement of amino acid content (AAC) and protein content (PC). The identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with the PC and AAC of rice grains could provide a basis for improving the nutritional value of rice grains. Here, we conducted QTL analyses using recombinant inbred lines from the cross between indica (Milyang 23 or M23) and japonica (Tong 88-7 or T887) rice varieties, afterward employing genotyping-by-sequencing to obtain a high-density genetic map. A total of 17 and 3 QTLs were detected for AAC and PC, respectively. Among them, two QTLs associated with more than 10 AACs, qAAC6.1 and qAAC7.1, were identified for the first time in this study. Each favorable allele that increased the AAC of the two QTLs was derived from M23 and T887, respectively. Allelic combination of qAAC6.1 and qAAC7.1 showed significantly higher content of associated amino acids (AAs) than other allelic combinations. Near-isogenic line (NIL) possessing qAAC7.1 with M23 genetic background had significantly higher AACs than both parents. These results indicate that the pyramiding of QTLs would be useful in developing brown rice with a high AA and protein content.