Multivariate analysis of maize disease resistances suggests a pleiotropic genetic basis and implicates a GST gene.

ABSTRACT: Plants are attacked by pathogens representing diverse taxonomic groups, such that genes providing multiple disease resistance (MDR) are expected to be under positive selection pressure. To address the hypothesis that naturally occurring allelic variation conditions MDR, we extended the framework of structured association mapping to allow for the analysis of correlated complex traits and the identification of pleiotropic genes. The multivariate analytical approach used here is directly applicable to any species and set of traits exhibiting correlation. From our analysis of a diverse panel of maize inbred lines, we discovered high positive genetic correlations between resistances to three globally threatening fungal diseases. The maize panel studied exhibits rapidly decaying linkage disequil

SUBMITTER: Wisser RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3088610 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature