Combination of twelve alleles at six quantitative trait loci determines grain weight in rice

Grain weight, which is controlled by quantitative trait loci (QTLs), is one of the most important determinants of rice yield. Although many QTLs for grain weight have been identified, little is known about how different alleles in different QTLs coordinate to determine grain weight. In the present study, six grain-weight-QTLs were detected in seven mapping populations (two F(2), one F(3), and four recombinant inbred lines) developed by crossing ‘Lemont’, a United States japonica variety, with ‘Yangdao 4’, a Chinese indica variety. In each of the six loci, one allele from one parent increased grain weight and one allele from another parent decreased it. Thus, the 12 alleles at the six QTLs were subjected to regression analysis to examine whether they acted additively across loci leading to a linear relationship between the predicted breeding value of QTL and phenotype. Results suggested that a combination of the 12 alleles determined grain weight. In addition, plants carrying more grain-weight-increasing alleles had heavier grains than those carrying more grain-weight-decreasing alleles. This trend was consistent in the seven mapping populations. Thus, these six QTLs might be used in marker-assisted selection of grain weight, by stacking different grain-weight-increasing or -decreasing alleles.