High grain yield is one of the most important traits for improvement in rice breeding program. Much attention has been given to the genetic bases of spikelets per panicle (SPP) and grain weight (GW) because of their imporftance in rice yield. In this study, IL28, near isogenic line (NIL) developed by introgressing chromosomal segments from Moroberekan into Ilpumbyeo, showed significant increase in number of spikelets per panicle and 1,000 grain weight compare to the recurrent parent Ilpumbyeo. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis in 1150 F2 plants derived from a cross between IL28 and Ilpumbyeo, indicated that both qspp6 and qgw6 were located in the interval RM3430 – RM20580. To map the QTL more precisely, substitution mapping of qspp6 and qgw6 using F4 lines was conducted. As a result of substitution mapping with fifty F4 lines, qspp6 was mapped to an 429kb interval between RM20521 and RM20562 while qgw6 was mapped to a 267kb interval between RM20562 and RM20572 based on the japonica genome sequence. This result seems to indicate that qspp6 and qgw6 are two different genes. It is notable that these QTL, qspp6 and qgw6 are independence from undesirable height and flowering time. Moreover, there was no negative correlation between qspp6 and qgw6 when two genes are pyramided in the genetic background of Ilpumbyeo. SSR markers tightly linked to the qspp6 and qgw6 will facilitate cloning of the gene underlying these QTLs as well as marker assisted selection for variation in SPP and TGW in an applied breeding program.

• Sang-Nag Ahn(Department of Agronomy, Chungnam National University) Corresponding Author
• Hyun-Sook Lee(Department of Agronomy, Chungnam National University)
• Ju-Won Kang(Department of Agronomy, Chungnam National University)
• Dong-Min Kim(Department of Agronomy, Chungnam National University)