Genetic dissection of yield-related traits and mid-parent heterosis for those traits in maize (Zea mays L.)

BACKGROUND: Utilization of heterosis in maize could be critical in maize breeding for boosting grain yield. However, the genetic architecture of heterosis is not fully understood. To dissect the genetic basis of yield-related traits and heterosis in maize, 301 recombinant inbred lines derived from 08 to 641 × YE478 and 298 hybrids from the immortalized F(2) (IF(2)) population were used to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for nine yield-related traits and mid-parent heterosis. RESULTS: We observed 156 QTLs, 28 pairs of loci with epistatic interaction, and 10 significant QTL × environment interactions in the inbred and hybrid mapping populations. The high heterosis in F(1) and IF(2) populations for kernel weight per ear (KWPE), ear weight per ear (EWPE), and kernel number per row (KNPR) matched the high percentages of QTLs (over 50%) for those traits exhibiting overdominance, whereas a notable predominance of loci with dominance effects (more than 70%) was observed for traits that show low heterosis such as cob weight per ear (CWPE), rate of kernel production (RKP), ear length (EL), ear diameter (ED), cob diameter, and row number (RN). The environmentally stable QTL qRKP3–2 was identified across two mapping populations, while qKWPE9, affecting the trait mean and the mid-parent heterosis (MPH) level, explained over 18% of phenotypic variations. Nine QTLs, qEWPE9–1, qEWPE10–1, qCWPE6, qEL8, qED2–2, qRN10–1, qKWPE9, qKWPE10–1, and qRKP4–3, accounted for over 10% of phenotypic variation. In addition, QTL mapping identified 95 QTLs that were gathered together and integrated into 33 QTL clusters on 10 chromosomes. CONCLUSIONS: The results revealed that (1) the inheritance of yield-related traits and MPH in the heterotic pattern improved Reid (PA) × Tem-tropic I (PB) is trait-dependent; (2) a large proportion of loci showed dominance effects, whereas overdominance also contributed to MPH for KNPR, EWPE, and KWPE; (3) marker-assisted selection for markers at genomic regions 1.09–1.11, 2.04, 3.08–3.09, and 10.04–10.05 contributed to hybrid performance per se and heterosis and were repeatedly reported in previous studies using different heterotic patterns is recommended. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12870-019-2009-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.