Development of boron-efficient near isogenic lines of Brassica napus and their response to low boron stress at seedling stage.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus) is sensitive to low boron (B) stress and plentiful variation exists in response to B deficiency. One major QTL, BE1, and three minor loci controlling B efficiency in Brassica napus were previously detected. To fine map and clone the B-efficient gene (s), the development of B-efficient NILs in Brassica napus was conducted, combining the identification of B efficiency at seedling stage with genetic background selection using random AFLP markers. The molecular marker assisted background selection proved its optimum and necessary in an early backcrossing generation to select the backcross individuals with high genetic background similarity to accelerate the construction of NILs. Based on B efficiency investigated at seedling stage under the low B conditions, the B-efficient backcross line can produce biomass twice about the B-inefficient parent's and show low B concentration and effective utilization of B under low B condition. Thus, the B efficiency of the B efficient NILs might be attributed to the higher B utilization efficiency or less demand for B.