Multiple-marker mapping of wood density loci in an outbred pedigree of radiata pine

The objective of this study was to determine the genetic location and effects of genomic regions controlling wood density at three stages, i.e., rings corresponding to ages 1–5 (WD1_5), rings corresponding to ages 6–10 (WD6_10), and outer wood density (WD14) in a full-sib pedigree (850.055×850.096) of Pinus radiata. The number of offspring measured at these three stages were 80, 93 and 93, respectively. Only a single linkage group of the parent 850.55 was considered for mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs). A multiple-marker least-squares approach was employed for mapping QTLs for each of the three traits, using a single-QTL model. Logistic regression was used for multiple-trait QTL mapping. Critical values for test-statistic were calculated empirically by ’shuffling’ the data. A putative QTL with large effect on WD1_5 appears to be segregating at the 73 cM position (experimentwise P<0.01). The width of the 95% bootstrap confidence interval for this putative QTL was 40 cM (i.e. 56–96 cM). The effect of this QTL on the expression of wood density at later stages was diminished. From multiple-trait analysis, two marker locations (at 66 cM and 91 cM) were found to be significantly associated (experimentwise P <0.05) with the expression of wood density at different ages. These results are encouraging for the application of marker information to early selection in order to increase juvenile wood density, although the putative QTLs detected in this study need to be verified in an independent population.