A wheat intervarietal genetic linkage map based on microsatellite and target region amplified polymorphism markers and its utility for detecting quantitative trait loci

Efficient user-friendly methods for mapping plant genomes are highly desirable for the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs), genotypic profiling, genomic studies, and marker-assisted selection. SSR (microsatellite) markers are user-friendly and efficient in detecting polymorphism, but they detect few loci. Target region amplification polymorphism (TRAP) is a relatively new PCR-based technique that detects a large number of loci from a single reaction without extensive pre-PCR processing of samples. In the investigation reported here, we used both SSRs and TRAPs to generate over 700 markers for the construction of a genetic linkage map in a hard red spring wheat intervarietal recombinant inbred population. A framework map consisting of 352 markers accounted for 3,045 cM with an average density of one marker per 8.7 cM. On average, SSRs detected 1.9 polymorphic loci per reaction, while TRAPs detected 24. Both marker systems were suitable for assigning linkage groups to chromosomes using wheat aneuploid stocks. We demonstrated the utility of the maps by identifying major QTLs for days to heading and reduced plant height on chromosomes 5A and 4B, respectively. Our results indicate that TRAPs are highly efficient for genetic mapping in wheat. The maps developed will be useful for the identification of quality and disease resistance QTLs that segregate in this population.