Dissecting the Genetic Basis of Flowering Time and Height Related-Traits Using Two Doubled Haploid Populations in Maize

In the field, maize flowering time and height traits are closely linked with yield, planting density, lodging resistance, and grain fill. To explore the genetic basis of flowering time and height traits in maize, we investigated six related traits, namely, days to anthesis (AD), days to silking (SD), the anthesis–silking interval (ASI), plant height (PH), ear height (EH), and the EH/PH ratio (ER) in two locations for two years based on two doubled haploid (DH) populations. Based on the two high-density genetic linkage maps, 12 and 22 quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified, respectively, for flowering time and height-related traits. Of these, ten QTLs had overlapping confidence intervals between the two populations and were integrated into three consensus QTLs (qFT_YZ1a, qHT_YZ5a, and qHT_YZ7a). Of these, qFT_YZ1a, conferring flowering time, is located at 221.1–277.0 Mb on chromosome 1 and explained 10.0–12.5% of the AD and SD variation, and qHT_YZ5a, conferring height traits, is located at 147.4–217.3 Mb on chromosome 5 and explained 11.6–15.3% of the PH and EH variation. These consensus QTLs, in addition to the other repeatedly detected QTLs, provide useful information for further genetic studies and variety improvements in flowering time and height-related traits.