MADS-box genes encode a family of transcription factors which involve in diverse developmental processes in flowering plants. Because flowering time determines the timing of transition from vegetative to reproductive stage and time to harvest, it would be a significant trait not only to plant it-self but also to breeders. The sequences and gene structures of Arabidopsis MADS-box genes are conserved in model legumes. However, complex genome structure, in soybean, makes it difficult to identify actual genes related to flowering and maturity, although QTL researches have been generally conducted. Therefore, we hypothesized that putative MADS-box genes around the flowering time and maturity QTLs would be candidate genes for those loci. In this study, after surveying 84 QTLs highly associated with maturity and flowering, the QTLs were selected if they were located near 473 putative MADS-box genes. Finally, we found the highly associated 16 SNPs at non-coding region of the putative MADS-box gene around the QTL in 28 late maturity cultivars and 28 early maturity cultivars. Furthermore, by comparing genetic diversity in the cultivated soybeans of late and early maturity groups as well as 20 wild soybeans, selection pattern during domestication was predicted.

• Jungmin Ha(Department of Plant Science and Reserch Institute for Agriculture and Life Science, Seoul National University)
• Myounghai Kwak(Department of Plant Science and Reserch Institute for Agriculture and Life Science, Seoul National University)
• Kyujung Van(Department of Plant Science and Reserch Institute for Agriculture and Life Science, Seoul National University)
• Moon Young Kim(Department of Plant Science and Reserch Institute for Agriculture and Life Science, Seoul National University)
• Suk-Ha Lee(Department of Plant Science and Reserch Institute for Agriculture and Life Science, Seoul National University, Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Seoul National University)