Genome-wide association study in a lettuce core collection from 811 accessions reveals genetic loci for anthocyanin accumulation and cultivar development.

ABSTRACT: Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is a globally cultivated leafy vegetable with leafy morphology critically influencing consumer preference and market value. Despite the agronomic importance of leaf traits, the genetic basis underlying their diversity remains poorly characterized. To address this, we resequenced 811 accessions collected from major lettuce production areas as well as the relative wild species, and developed a publicly accessible core collection of 268 accessions that captures 99.4% of the total genetic variation. Phenotypic evaluation of 16 leaf morphological traits across two growing seasons identified significant correlations, including negative associations between plant width and anthocyanin content, and positive correlations between apical margin incision and multiple tr

SUBMITTER: Huo G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12860559 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature