Integrated Bulk Segregant Analysis, Fine Mapping, and Transcriptome Revealed QTLs and Candidate Genes Associated with Drought Adaptation in Wild Watermelon.

ABSTRACT: Drought stress has detrimental effects on crop productivity worldwide. A strong root system is crucial for maintaining water and nutrients uptake under drought stress. Wild watermelons possess resilient roots with excellent drought adaptability. However, the genetic factors controlling this trait remain uninvestigated. In this study, we conducted a bulk segregant analysis (BSA) on an F₂ population consisting of two watermelon genotypes, wild and domesticated, which differ in their lateral root development under drought conditions. We identified two quantitative trait loci (qNLR_Dr. Chr01 and qNLR_Dr. Chr02) associated with the lateral root response to drought. Furthermore, we determined that a small region (0.93 Mb in qNLR_Dr. Chr01) is closely linked to dro

SUBMITTER: Mahmoud A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10779233 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature