Identification of Quantitative Trait Loci Controlling Floral Morphology of Rice Using a Backcross Population between Common Cultivated Rice, <i>Oryza sativa</i> and Asian Wild Rice, <i>O. rufipogon</i>

Abstract

Differences in floral morphologies affect pollination behaviour in many flowering plants. In the genus Oryza , several differences in the size of floral organs are known. In this study, we focused on the differences in the size of floral organs between common cultivated rice, Oryza sativa L. and its wild ancestor, O. rufipogon . We compared floral morphologies between cultivated rice O. sativa cv. Nipponbare an d O. rufipogon W630. We first evaluated temporal changes in filament and anther lengths. W630 had longer filaments with rapid elongation within 15 min after spikelet opening. W630 also had longer anthers than Nipponbare, and size of anther was consistent throughout all time examined. We also analysed other six floral traits, and found that W630 had higher stigma and style length, as well as lemma and palea length, but lower lemma and palea width. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis was performed to identify the loci controlling these floral t raits, using backcross recombinant inbred lines derived from a cross between Nipponbare and W630. A total of 11 significant QTLs were identified. Of these, two pairs of QTLs for lemma and palea length and one pair for lemma and palea width overlapped, suggesting that common genetic factors may be the reason for the differences in these traits. In addition, we performed QTL analysis for grain size, and found tha t QTLs for grain size coincided with those for lemma and palea size, indicating that grain size is partly controlled by glume capacity. The QTLs identified in this study will be informative for understanding genetic changes associated with rice domestication.