Acta Agriculturae Boreali-Sinica ›› 2026, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (1): 49-55. doi: 10.7668/hbnxb.20195943

Special Issue: Corn Biotechnology

• Crop Genetics & Breeding·Germplasm Resources·Biotechnology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

QTL Mapping and Gene Functional Annotation for Controlling Maize Leaf Number

XUE Chunlei1, ZHANG Xuting1, ZHANG Hailong1, FU Zengjuan1, LIU Yanan1, WU Haiyan1, ZHANG Ziyu1, ZHANG Sainan1, YU Zhonghao1, WU Hui1, HAN Pingan1, MA Yan1, WANG Yongxing2, SUN Fengcheng1   

  1. 1 Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural & Animal Husbandry Sciences,Hohhot 010031,China
    2 Bayannur Institute of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry,Bayannur 015000,China
  • Received:2025-05-20 Published:2026-03-10

Abstract:

To clarify the genetic characteristics of total leaf number and leaf number above the ear in maize,and reveal their regulatory effects on maize yield potential,biomass accumulation,and lodging resistance,experiments on QTL mapping and gene mining for controlling maize leaf number were conducted.By using SLAF-seq technology for high-throughput sequencing of Chang 7-2,PHB1M,and 138 F2∶3 families,combined with two planting density treatments(E1:60 000 plants/ha;E2:120 000 plants/ha)QTL mapping was performed on leaf number phenotypic data,and gene mining was performed on the mapping results.The results showed that two total leaf number QTLs distributed on chromosome 8 were the main effect QTLs,contribution rates were 16.96% and 23.08%,respectively,and the additive effect value was negative;the QTL for the leaf number above the ear distributed on chromosomes 2 and 4,with a positive additive effect value.the two QTLs distributed on chromosome 4 were the main effect QTL,contribution rates were 10.18% and 14.75%,respectively;the QTLs for total leaf number and leaf number above the ear were distributed in different chromosomal regions and might be subject to relatively independent genetic regulation.Gene functional analysis revealed genes screened involvement in carbohydrate metabolism,plant hormone signal transduction,and selected some transcription factors.The results of this study provide richer theoretical support for further revealing the genetic basis of maize leaf number and offer targets for marker-assisted breeding.

Key words: Maize, Total leaf number, Leaf number above the ear, QTL, Gene mining

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Cite this article

XUE Chunlei, ZHANG Xuting, ZHANG Hailong, FU Zengjuan, LIU Yanan, WU Haiyan, ZHANG Ziyu, ZHANG Sainan, YU Zhonghao, WU Hui, HAN Pingan, MA Yan, WANG Yongxing, SUN Fengcheng. QTL Mapping and Gene Functional Annotation for Controlling Maize Leaf Number[J]. Acta Agriculturae Boreali-Sinica, 2026, 41(1): 49-55. doi: 10.7668/hbnxb.20195943.

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