The objectives of this study were to identify QTLs for agronomic traits using introgression lines from a cross between a japonica weedy rice and a Tongil-type rice. A total of 75 introgression lines developed in the Tongil-type rice were characterized. A total of 368 introgressed segments including 285 homozygous and 83 heterozygous loci were detected on 12 chromosomes based on the genotypes of 136 SSR markers. Each of 75 introgression lines contained 0-9 homozygous and 0-8 heterozygous introgressed segments with an average of 5.8 segments per line. A total of 31 quantitative and 2 qualitative loci were identified for 14 agronomic traits and each QTL explained 4.1% to 76.6% of the phenotypic variance. Some QTLs were clustered in a few chromosomal regions. A first cluster was located near RM315 and RM472 on chromosome 1 with QTLs for 1,000 grain weight, culm length, grain width and thickness. Another cluster was detected with four QTLs for 1,000 grain weight, grain length, grain width and grain length/width ratio near the SSR marker RM249 on chromosome 5. Among the 31 QTLs, 9 (28.1%) Hapcheonaengmi3 alleles were beneficial in the Milyang23 background. ILs would be useful to confirm QTLs putatively detected in a primary mapping population for complex traits and serve as a starting point for map-based cloning of the QTLs. Additional backcrosses are being made to purify nearly isogenic lines (NILs) harboring a few favorable Hapcheonaengmi3 alleles in Milyang23 background.

We conducted a QTL analysis of grain quality traits using 117 BC3F4 and BC3F5 lines developed from a cross between Ilpumbyeo and Moroberekan. Genotypes of 117 BC3F5 lines were determined using 134 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. A linkage map constructed using 134 SSR markers was employed to characterize quantitative trait loci (QTL). The 117 BC3F4 and BC3F5 lines were evaluated for eleven grain quality traits in 2005 and 2006. A total of 18 QTLs were identified for eleven traits, and the phenotypic variance explained by each QTL ranged from 9.9% to 35.2%. Moroberekan alleles contributed positive effects in the Ilpumbyeo background at two QTL loci for 1,000 grain weight. Four QTLs, two for chalky rice and one each for 1,000 grain weight and head rice were consistently detected in two consecutive years indicating that these QTLs are stable. Clusters of QTLs were observed in three chromosome regions. One cluster harboring five QTLs including head rice and brown rice ratio near SSR markers RM190 and RM314 was detected on chromosome 6. Another cluster harboring grain weight and white belly was detected on chromosome 2. Increase in white belly at this locus might be due to the increase in grain weight due to the presence of the Moroberekan allele. The Moroberekan alleles at two QTL loci, gw3 and gw4 associated with increased grain weight might be useful in breeding programs to develop high-yielding cultivars.

A population of 120 double-haploid lines derived from Samgang/Nagdong was used for analyzing the developmental behaviors of plant height and tiller number by conditional mapping via composite interval approaches at five growth stages of rice. The traits were normally distributed with transgressive segregations in both directions. A total of 4 QTLs associated with plant height were identified in 40th/initial, 50th/40th and 60th/50th periods, respectively. The qph7.1 was observed in 50th/40th and 60th/50th periods, with increasing effects from Samgang and Nagdong alleles, respectively. This indicated that an individual gene or genes at the same genomic region might have opposite genetic effects at various growth stages. Five QTLs associated with tiller number were identified in four stages except 60th/50th stage. Four of five increasing effects of QTLs were from Nagdong alleles. Six of nine QTLs for two traits were detected before 60 days. It was evident that the expression of QTLs for plant height and tiller number was more active at early stages than at maturity stage. Furthermore, QTLs identified at early stages showed opposite additive effects on plant height and tiller number. These results provided a possible genetic explanation for the negative correlation between two traits.

In the previous study, 141 BC3F2 lines from a cross between the Oryza sativa cv. Milyang 23 and O. glaberrima were used to identify favorable wild QTL alleles for yield component traits. In this study, we carried out QTL analysis of four grain morphology as well as four yield component traits using 141 BC3F5 lines from the same cross and compared QTLs detected in two different generations. The mean number of O. glaberrima segments in the 141 BC3F5 lines ranged from 1 to 13 with 2.69 and 5.71 of the average means of homozygous and heterozygous segments, respectively. There was a three-fold difference in the number of QTLs detected for four traits commonly evaluated in two generations (seven QTLs in the BC3F5 vs 21 in the BC3F2 population). The percentages of the phenotypic variance explained by QTLs in the BC3F5 population were similar to or less than those in the BC3F2 population. This is probably due to the difference in the genetic composition of two populations and the environmental effects. The locations of the QTLs commonly detected in both generations were in good agreement except for one QTL for spikelets per panicle. The yield QTL, yd3 was colocalized with the spikelets per panicle, spp3. Yield increase at this locus is due to the increase in spikelets per panicle, because both traits were associated with increase in spikelets per panicle and yield due to the presence of an O. glaberrima allele. Clusters of QTLs for grain morphology traits were observed in two chromosome regions. One cluster harboring five QTLs near SSR markers RM106 and RM263 was detected on chromosome 2. This population would serve as a foundation for development of the introgression line population from a cross between Milyang 23 and O. glaberrima.

This study was conducted to investigate the chromosomal locations and effects of quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with chemical properties of rice (Oryza sativa L.). One hundred sixty four recombinant inbred lines (MGRILs) of F11 were derived from the cross between Milyang 23, Tongil type, and Gihobyeo, japonica type. They were evaluated for 7 traits of chemical property in rice. Transgressive segregation was observed for all traits examined. Eight significant QTLs were detected (LOD~geq 2.0) for five traits, including two QTLs for amylose content, two QTLs for potassium content, one QTL for ratio of magnesium to potassium, one QTL for fat content and two QTLs for ash content. Phenotypic variation explained by each QTL ranged from 7.2% to 14.4%. However, no significant QTL was detected for magnesium and protein contents. In amylose content and ash content M alleles originated from Milyang 23 were responsible for increasing these traits and J alleles originated from Gihobyeo also responsible for increasing these traits. Pleiotropic effects of single QTLs on different traits are observed.