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.