Genetic Analysis of Heterosis in Rapeseed (B. napus L.)

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Heiko Becker
• Subject Area: Plant Breeding and Plant Pathology
• Term: from 2003 to 2008
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5410292

The general objective of the proposed project is a comparative genetic analysis of heterosis in rapeseed by QTL mapping in different mapping populations. In Göttingen a segregating doubled haploid population will be developed from a cross displaying high heterosis and a genetic map will be developed using SSR markers. QTL for yield and yield related traits as well as some morphological traits showing heterosis will be mapped in testcrosses of the doubled haploid population and will be characterized with respect to additive and dominance effects as well as epistatic interactions and their contributions to heterosis. The results will be compared with results from a parallel project conducted at the University of Gießen (Dr. R. Snowdon & Prof. W. Friedt) on a different mapping population. The two projects will identify and characterize QTL involved in heterosis in rapeseed and will for the first time provide information on the following questions: - What are the contributions of different genetic effects, e.g. dominance, overdominance and epistasis to the expression of heterosis in rapeseed? - Are similar sets of QTL involved in the expression of heterosis in different crosses of rapeseed? - Are the contributions of different genetic effects to the expression of heterosis similar in the two crosses?

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1149: Heterosis in Plants