Genetic analyses of leaf traits in an interspecific Zoysia japonica × Zoysia matrella F 2 population
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Zoysiagrass ( Zoysia spp.) is an important warm‐season turfgrass cultivated across tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions of the world. The genus is characterized by the presence of salt‐secreting glands on the adaxial leaf surface, which contribute to its high salt tolerance. In this study, we analyzed an interspecific F 2 population, derived from selfing an F 1 from a cross between Z. japonica acc. Meyer and Z. matrella acc. PI 231146, for variation in adaxial salt gland density, leaf width, and vein count. Using composite interval mapping with a previously constructed genetic map as a framework, we identified three quantitative trait loci (QTL) for leaf width, two QTL for vein count, and two QTL for salt gland density. We complemented the QTL analysis with bulked segregant RNA‐seq (BSR‐seq) to identify shared genomic regions and candidate genes for leaf width and salt gland density. BSR‐seq identified four trait‐associated regions, but only a single region identified for leaf width on Chr08 overlapped with a QTL for the same trait. We highlight putative candidate genes underlying the leaf width and salt gland density QTL and discuss their potential roles in leaf development. Together, the QTL and candidate genes provide an important resource for breeding stress‐resilient Zoysia germplasm.
Source: The Plant Genome
DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.70282
Institutions: University of Georgia, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Language: English
Subfield: Genetics
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,140
Awards: G1026679911, G121915436, Understanding the Catalytic Mechanism of Monoterpene Synthases using Atomistic Simulations, G1645119126, G166562317, G203625172, G2411683797, G2757267231, G2988778103, G3121793570, G313676650, G3945850812, G4423657506, G450780475, G4567415992, G4661815001, G5726405315, Modeling charge transport and interfacial chemistry at the nanoscale, G675320460, RESEARCH-PGR: Transdisciplinary Comparative Analyses of Halophytic and Glycophytic Grasses to Reveal Novel Mechanisms of Salt Tolerance, G8269158468, G8906985441, G8943143067
OpenAlex ID: W7170664449