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Marker-Assisted Introgression of the Salinity Tolerance Locus Saltol in Temperate Japonica Rice
Caterina Marè1, Elisa Zampieri2,3, Viviana Cavallaro4
1Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Via S. Protaso 302, 29017, Fiorenzuola d'Arda, Piacenza, Italy. caterina.mare@crea.gov.it.
Rice (New York, N.Y.)
|January 12, 2023
Summary
Marker-assisted backcross breeding successfully transferred the Saltol gene for salinity tolerance to elite rice varieties. This enhances rice cultivation in salt-affected soils, improving crop yield and resilience.
Area of Science:
- Plant breeding and genetics
- Crop science
- Agronomy
Background:
- Rice is highly sensitive to salinity, impacting yield at various growth stages.
- The Saltol quantitative trait locus (QTL) enhances seedling salinity tolerance by regulating sodium and potassium ion ratios.
- Developing salt-tolerant rice varieties is crucial for food security in saline environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introgress the Saltol QTL into elite temperate japonica rice varieties using marker-assisted backcrossing (MABC).
- To evaluate the genetic background recovery and agronomic performance of the introgression lines.
- To assess the physiological improvements in salinity tolerance of the developed lines.
Main Methods:
- Marker-assisted backcross (MABC) breeding was employed to transfer the Saltol locus.
- KASP and SNP markers were utilized for forward and background selection.
- Genotyping by Sequencing (GBS) assessed overall genetic background recovery.
- Agronomic and physiological evaluations were conducted under field and hydroponic conditions.
Main Results:
- The Saltol locus was successfully transferred into two japonica varieties, Vialone Nano and Onice, within three years.
- Introgression lines achieved up to 98.97% recurrent parent genome recovery.
- Selected lines (VN1, VN4, O1) exhibited improved salinity tolerance, indicated by lower Standard Evaluation System (SES) scores and reduced electrolyte leakage.
Conclusions:
- MABC is an effective method for transferring the Saltol QTL and recovering elite recurrent parent traits in rice.
- The developed introgression lines demonstrate enhanced salinity tolerance at the seedling stage.
- These findings support the utility of Saltol for improving rice cultivation in salt-affected regions.
