Development and Evaluation of QTL-NILs for Grain Weight from an Interspecific Cross in Rice

In a previous study, we mapped 12 QTLs for 1,000 grain weight (TGW) in the 172 $BC_2F_2$ lines derived from a cross between Oryza sativa ssp. Japonica cv. Hwaseongbyeo and O. rufipogon. These QTLs explained 5.4 - 11.4% of the phenotypic variance for TGW. Marker-aided selection combined with backcrosses was employed to develop QTL-NILs for each QTL. $BC_2F_2$ lines with each target QTL were backcrossed to Hwaseongbyeo twice and then allowed to self to produce $BC_4F_5$ populations. SSR markers linked to TGW were employed to select QTL-NILs with the respective target QTL. Six QTL-NILs with the recurrent parent, Hwaseongbyeo were evaluated for nine traits for three years from 2007 and 2009. Differences were observed between each of the 6 QTL-NILs and Hwaseongbyeo in TGW. In addition to TGW, these QTL-NILs displayed differences in other agronomic traits possibly indicating a tight linkage of genes controlling these traits. The direction of the QTL for TGW in 6 QTL-NILs was consistent as in the $BC_2F_2$ lines from the same cross. Difference in TGW between each of the QTL-NILs and Hwaseongbyeo was associated with the difference in one or two grain shape traits; grain length, grain width, and grain thickness. SSR markers linked to the QTL for TGW will facilitate selection of the grain shape character in a breeding program to diversify grain shape and provide the foundation for map-based gene isolation. Also, the QTL-NILs developed in this report and the progenies from crosses between the QTL-NILs will be useful in clarifying epistatic interactions among QTLs for TGW.