Identification and multiple comparisons of QTL and epistatic interaction conferring high yield under boron and phosphorus deprivation in Brassica napus

Boron (B) and phosphorus (P) are two essential nutrients for plants. To unravel the genetic basis of B and P efficiency in Brassica napus, quantitative trait locus (QTL) and epistatic interaction analysis for yield and yield-related traits under contrast B and P conditions were performed using two mapping populations across various environments. Main effect QTLs were detected by QTLNetwork and QTL Icimapping (ICIM), and were compared with our previously reported main effect QTLs identified by QTLCartographer. Epistatic QTLs were identified by QTLNetwork, ICIM and Genotype matrix mapping (GMM), and multiple comparisons of main effect QTLs and epistatic QTLs were conducted. For the two mapping populations, 51 main effect QTLs were identified by QTLNetwork, 106 by ICIM. Among them, 35 main effect QTLs were simultaneously identified by three programs. Moreover, 578, 18 and 62 epistatic QTLs were identified by GMM, QTLNetwork and ICIM, respectively. Interestingly, a total of 235 epistatic QTLs identified by GMM were associated with 50 main effect QTLs identified by three programs. However, only nine epistatic QTLs identified by QTLNetwork and ICIM were involved in main effect QTLs. Twenty-two main effect QTLs in the BERIL population overlapped with 20 main effect QTLs for the same traits in the BQDH population, but no main effect QTLs were detected both under P and B stress environments, indicating the genetic differences in B and P homeostasis in B. napus. By in silico mapping, 29 candidate genes were located in the consensus QTL intervals. This study suggested the availability of dissecting genetic basis for complex traits under B/P deficiency by analyzing main effect QTLs and epistatic QTLs using multiple programs across different environments. The robust main effect QTLs and epistatic QTLs associated could be useful in breeding B and P efficient cultivars of B. napus.