Genetic mapping of some key plant architecture traits in Brassica juncea using a doubled haploid population derived from a cross between two distinct lines: vegetable type Tumida and oleiferous Varuna.

Genetic mapping of some key plant architectural traits in a vegetable type and an oleiferous B. juncea cross revealed QTL and candidate genes for breeding more productive ideotypes. Brassica juncea (AABB, 2n = 36), commonly called mustard, is an allopolyploid crop of recent origin but contains considerable morphological and genetic variation. An F-derived doubled haploid population developed from a cross between an Indian oleiferous line, Varuna, and a Chinese stem type vegetable mustard, Tumida showed significant variability for some key plant architectural traits-four stem strength-related traits, stem diameter (Dia), plant height (Plht), branch initiation height (Bih), number of primary branches (Pbr), and days to flowering (Df). Multi-environment QTL analysis identified twenty Stable QTL for the above-mentioned nine plant architectural traits. Though Tumida is ill-adapted to the Indian growing conditions, it was found to contribute favorable alleles in Stable QTL for five architectural traits-press force, Dia, Plht, Bih, and Pbr; these QTL could be used to breed superior ideotypes in the oleiferous mustard lines. A QTL cluster on LG A10 contained Stable QTL for seven architectural traits that included major QTL (phenotypic variance ≥ 10%) for Df and Pbr, with Tumida contributing the trait-enhancing alleles for both. Since early flowering is critical for the cultivation of mustard in the Indian subcontinent, this QTL cannot be used for the improvement of Pbr in the Indian gene pool lines. Conditional QTL analysis for Pbr, however, identified other QTL which could be used for the improvement of Pbr without affecting Df. The Stable QTL intervals were mapped on the genome assemblies of Tumida and Varuna for the identification of candidate genes.