Genome-wide association study of rice leaf metabolites and volatiles

Metabolites and volatiles in rice (Oryza sativa) are closely related to their development, biotic and abiotic stresses. To further analyze the biosynthetic pathways and regulatory networks of metabolites and volatiles in O. sativa, a genome-wide association study was conducted using 207 diverse accessions with single-nucleotides polymorphisms. In this study, 343 metabolites and 24 volatiles were detected, and strong genetic associations were identified for some important compounds, especially stigmasterol, α-Tocopherol, isoleucine, methyl palmitoleate, naringin and cymene. Additionally, some compounds were significantly associated with important phenotypes, such as small brown planthopper repellent, biomass, and plant height. This research can promote the understanding of biosynthetic pathways and regulatory networks of metabolites and volatiles in rice.