A Genome-Wide Association Study for Agronomic Traits in Soybean Using SNP Markers and SNP-Based Haplotype Analysis

PLoS One. 2017 Feb 2;12(2):e0171105. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171105. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Mapping quantitative trait loci through the use of linkage disequilibrium (LD) in populations of unrelated individuals provides a valuable approach for dissecting the genetic basis of complex traits in soybean (Glycine max). The haplotype-based genome-wide association study (GWAS) has now been proposed as a complementary approach to intensify benefits from LD, which enable to assess the genetic determinants of agronomic traits. In this study a GWAS was undertaken to identify genomic regions that control 100-seed weight (SW), plant height (PH) and seed yield (SY) in a soybean association mapping panel using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and haplotype information. The soybean cultivars (N = 169) were field-evaluated across four locations of southern Brazil. The genome-wide haplotype association analysis (941 haplotypes) identified eleven, seventeen and fifty-nine SNP-based haplotypes significantly associated with SY, SW and PH, respectively. Although most marker-trait associations were environment and trait specific, stable haplotype associations were identified for SY and SW across environments (i.e., haplotypes Gm12_Hap12). The haplotype block 42 on Chr19 (Gm19_Hap42) was confirmed to be associated with PH in two environments. These findings enable us to refine the breeding strategy for tropical soybean, which confirm that haplotype-based GWAS can provide new insights on the genetic determinants that are not captured by the single-marker approach.

MeSH terms

  • Brazil
  • Breeding
  • Chromosome Mapping
  • Gene-Environment Interaction
  • Genome, Plant
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Genotype
  • Glycine max / genetics*
  • Glycine max / growth & development*
  • Haplotypes
  • Linkage Disequilibrium
  • Models, Genetic
  • Phenotype
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Quantitative Trait Loci
  • Seeds / genetics
  • Seeds / growth & development

Grants and funding

CNPq (Conselho Nacional de desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico) provided the funding to support all genotyping made for this study. Marco Antônio Rott de Oliveira and Wilson Higashi receive a salary from COODETEC. Ivan Schuster receives a salary from Dow Agrosciences. COODETEC made the field assays and data collection. Dow Agrosciences did not have a role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section.