Abstract
Rice genetic diversity is regulated by multiple genes and is largely dependent on various environmental factors. Uncovering the genetic variations associated with the diversity in rice populations is the key to breed stable and high yielding rice varieties. We performed Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) on 7 rice yielding traits (grain length, grain width, grain weight, panicle length, leaf length, leaf width and leaf angle) based on 39,40,165 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a population of 183 rice landraces of Bangladesh. Our studies reveal various chromosomal regions that are significantly associated with different traits in Bangladeshi rice varieties. We also identified various candidate genes, which are associated with these traits. This study reveals multiple candidate genes within short intervals. We also identified SNP loci, which are significantly associated with multiple yield-related traits. The results of these association studies support previous findings as well as provide additional insights into the genetic diversity of rice. This is the first known GWAS study on various yield-related traits in the varieties of Oryza sativa available in Bangladesh – the fourth largest rice producing country. We believe this study will accelerate rice genetics research and breeding stable high-yielding rice in Bangladesh.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
