Analysis of minor quantitative trait loci for eating and cooking quality traits in rice using a recombinant inbred line population derived from two indica cultivars with similar amylose content

Improvement of eating and cooking qual- ity (ECQ) traits is a major breeding target in indica rice due to market demand. In this study, amylose content, gel consistency, gelatinization temperature and 15 parameters from the viscosity profile were analyzed for quantitative trait loci (QTLs) with main effect, epistatic effects and their environmental inter- actions with ECQ, using 237 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between indica cultivars Huahui 3 and Zhongguoxiangdao. Sixty-six QTLs were found across 2 years, of which 17 loci were detected in both years. No QTL was detected at the Wx locus, possibly because of allelism between the parents. A QTL cluster in the interval ALK6- RM549 on chromosome 6 had the largest effect on alkali spreading value, pasting time, time needed from