QTL mapping with different genetic systems for nine non-essential amino acids of cottonseeds

Amino acid is an important nutrient resource for both human and animals. Using a set of 188 RILs population derived from an elite hybrid cross of upland cotton cultivars ‘HS46’ × ‘MARCABUCAG8US-1-88’ and their immortal F(2) (IF(2)) with reciprocal backcrosses BC(1)F(1) and BC(2)F(1) (BC) populations in two environments, the QTLs located on the embryo genome and maternal plant genome for nine amino acids of cottonseed were studied across environments. The QTL Network-CL-2.0-seed software was used to analyze the QTLs and their genetic effects for nine amino acids. A total of 56 QTLs for nine amino acids were detected in both populations, with many having over 5% of phenotypic variation. Ten of the total QTLs could be simultaneously found in the IF(2) and BC populations. For most QTLs, the genetic effects from embryo genome were more important than those from maternal plant genome for the performance of nine amino acids. Significant embryo additive main effects and maternal additive main effect with their environment interaction effects from many QTLs were also found in present experiment. Some QTLs with larger phenotypic variation were important for improving the amino-acid contents in cottonseeds.