Quantitative Trait Loci Controlling Oil Sorption in Kenaf: Mapping and Implications

This study revealed Quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling oil sorption capacity in kenaf which could assist in improving genotypes through marker assisted selection (MAS) for effective oil spill clean-up. Two accessions with extreme sorption capacity were selected and crossed to generate F1 which were selfed for linkage and QTL analyses. The oil sorption capacity of the F2 progeny was determined phenotypically and scored as a morphological marker to allow mapping of the markers associated with oil sorption gene(s). The genomic DNA extraction was carried out using a modified CTAB (cyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide) procedure. Diversity Array Technology Sequence (DArTSeq) platform was used to sequence 96 DNA samples prior to linkage and QTL analyses. Genotypic data were analysed using the JoinMap 4.1 Software to construct a genetic map of F2 segregating populations whereas MapQTL1 was used to detect QTL. The mapping population which included the two parents [NHC5(1) and NHC12(2)] together with 72 F2 progeny were genotyped with selected polymorphic SNP markers. Mapping of markers was performed using the regression mapping algorithm. 18 linkage groups were generated from the linkage analysis with Linkage group 1 (LG1) having the longest map length of 138.93 centimorgan (cM) whereas LG 16 had the shortest map length of 83.05 cM. This genetic map has a total map length of 1888.40 cM giving an average length of 104.91 cM per group and an average of one marker for every 1.39 cM. A total of 3 significant and 8 putative QTL were detected by MQM mapping and interval mapping method.