Substitution mapping of dth1.1, a flowering-time quantitative trait locus (QTL) associated with transgressive variation in rice, reveals multiple sub-QTL.

A quantitative trait locus (QTL), dth1.1, was associated with transgressive variation for days to heading in an advanced backcross population derived from the Oryza sativa variety Jefferson and an accession of the wild rice relative Oryza rufipogon. A series of near-isogenic lines (NILs) containing different O. rufipogon introgressions across the target region were constructed to dissect dth1.1 using substitution mapping. In contrast to the late-flowering O. rufipogon parent, O. rufipogon alleles in the substitution lines caused early flowering under both short- and long-day lengths and provided evidence for at least two distinct sub-QTL: dth1.1a and dth1.1b. Potential candidate genes underlying these sub-QTL include genes with sequence similarity to Arabidopsis GI, FT, SOC1, and EMF1, and Pharbitis nil PNZIP. Evidence from families with nontarget O. rufipogon introgressions in combination with dth1.1 alleles also detected an early flowering QTL on chromosome 4 and a late-flowering QTL on chromosome 6 and provided evidence for additional sub-QTL in the dth1.1 region. The availability of a series of near-isogenic lines with alleles introgressed from a wild relative of rice provides an opportunity to better understand the molecular basis of transgressive variation in a quantitative trait.