Quantitative Trait Loci for Component Physiological Traits Determining Salt Tolerance in Rice

• Published in: Plant physiology (Bethesda) Vol. 125; no. 1; pp. 406 - 422
• Main Authors: Koyama, Mikiko L., Levesley, Aurora, Koebner, Robert M.D., Flowers, Timothy J., Yeo, Anthony R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Rockville, MD American Society of Plant Physiologists 01.01.2001; American Society of Plant Biologists
• Subjects: Adaptation to environment and cultivation conditions; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Analysis of Variance; Biological and medical sciences; Chromosome Mapping; Chromosomes; Chromosomes, Plant; Chromosomes, Plant - genetics; drug effects; Environmental Stress and Adaptation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene mapping; genes; Genetic loci; Genetic Markers; Genetic variation; genetics; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; Ion transport; Ions; loci; Oryza; Oryza - drug effects; Oryza - genetics; Oryza - physiology; Oryza sativa; pharmacology; Phenotypic traits; physiology; Plant Shoots; Plant Shoots - drug effects; Plant Shoots - physiology; Plants; Potassium; Quantitative Trait Loci; quantitative traits; Rice; Root development; salinity; Salt tolerance; Sodium; Sodium Chloride; Sodium Chloride - pharmacology; stress response; Varietal selection. Specialized plant breeding, plant breeding aims; Agronomic character; Monocotyledones; Salt resistance; Genetic marker; Tolerance; Ion transport; Inorganic element; Genetic determinism; Cereal crop; Salinity; Quantitative trait loci; Oryza sativa; Sensitivity resistance; Absorption; Ionic selectivity; Sodium; Gramineae; Chlorides; Angiospermae; Genetic improvement; Spermatophyta; Vigor; Locus; Potassium
• ISSN: 0032-0889; 1532-2548
• DOI: 10.1104/pp.125.1.406

Rice (Oryza sativa) is sensitive to salinity, which affects one-fifth of irrigated land worldwide. Reducing sodium and chloride uptake into rice while maintaining potassium uptake are characteristics that would aid growth under saline conditions. We describe genetic determinants of the net quantity of ions transported to the shoot, clearly distinguishing between quantitative trait loci (QTL) for the quantity of ions in a shoot and for those that affect the concentration of an ion in the shoot. The latter coincide with QTL for vegetative growth (vigor) and their interpretation is therefore ambiguous. We distinguished those QTL that are independent of vigor and thus directly indicate quantitative variation in the underlying mechanisms of ion uptake. These QTL independently govern sodium uptake, potassium uptake, and sodium:potassium selectivity. The QTL for sodium and potassium uptake are on different linkage groups (chromosomes). This is consistent with the independent inheritance of sodium and potassium uptake in the mapping population and with the mechanistically different uptake pathways for sodium and potassium in rice under saline conditions (apoplastic leakage and membrane transport, respectively). We report the chromosomal location of ion transport and selectivity traits that are compatible with agronomic needs and we indicate markers to assist selection in a breeding program. Based upon knowledge of the underlying mechanisms of ion uptake in rice, we argue that QTL for sodium transport are likely to act through the control of root development, whereas QTL for potassium uptake are likely to act through the structure or regulation of membrane-sited transport components.