Phenotyping and Quantitative Trait Locus Analysis for the Limited Transpiration Trait in an Upper-Mid South Soybean Recombinant Inbred Line Population (“Jackson” × “KS4895”): High Throughput Aquaporin Inhibitor Screening

Soybean is most often grown under rainfed conditions and negatively impacted by drought stress in the upper mid-south of the United States. Therefore, identification of drought-tolerance traits and their corresponding genetic components are required to minimize drought impacts on productivity. Limited transpiration (TR(lim)) under high vapor pressure deficit (VPD) is one trait that can help conserve soybean water-use during late-season drought. The main research objective was to evaluate a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population, from crossing two mid-south soybean lines (“Jackson” × “KS4895”), using a high-throughput technique with an aquaporin inhibitor, AgNO(3), for the TR(lim) trait. A secondary objective was to undertake a genetic marker/quantitative trait locus (QTL) genetic analysis using the AgNO(3) phenotyping results. A set of 122 soybean genotypes (120-RILs and parents) were grown in controlled environments (32/25-d/n °C). The transpiration rate (TR) responses of derooted soybean shoots before and after application of AgNO(3) were measured under 37°C and >3.0 kPa VPD. Then, the decrease in transpiration rate (DTR) for each genotype was determined. Based on DTR rate, a diverse group (slow, moderate, and high wilting) of 26 RILs were selected and tested for the whole plant TRs under varying levels of VPD (0.0–4.0 kPa) at 32 and 37°C. The phenotyping results showed that 88% of slow, 50% of moderate, and 11% of high wilting genotypes expressed the TR(lim) trait at 32°C and 43, 10, and 0% at 37°C, respectively. Genetic mapping with the phenotypic data we collected revealed three QTL across two chromosomes, two associated with TR(lim) traits and one associated with leaf temperature. Analysis of Gene Ontologies of genes within QTL regions identified several intriguing candidate genes, including one gene that when overexpressed had previously been shown to confer enhanced tolerance to abiotic stress. Collectively these results will inform and guide ongoing efforts to understand how to deploy genetic tolerance for drought stress.