Quantitative trait loci analysis of leaf and plant longevity in Arabidopsis thaliana.

LUQUEZ VIRGINIA M.C, SASAL YAMILA, MEDRANO MICAELA, MARTÍN MARÍA I, MUJICA MERCEDES, GUIAMÉT JUAN J.

JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY

Año: 2006 vol. 57 p. 1363 - 1372

0022-0957

Abstract. The natural variation in leaf and plant longevity in Arabidopsis thaliana was analyzed in a set of 45 ecotypes and 155 recombinant inbred lines derived from a Cape Verde Islands (Cvi) x Landsberg erecta (Ler) cross. Post-bolting longevity (PBL) was inversely related to time to flowering and rosette leaf number in the set of 45 ecotypes, with Cvi having the longest and Ler the shortest PBL. The RIL population was tested under low (LN) or high (HN) soil nutrient levels. Three QTL, one in chromosome 3 and two in chromosomes 1 and 5 were associated with longevity of the 6th rosette leaf (LL) under LN and HN, respectively. Four QTL for PBL were found in chromosomes 1, 3, 4 and 5, and two in chromosomes 1 and 5 under LN and HN, respectively. An epistatic interaction affecting PBL under LN, but not HN, was detected. Ler and Cvi carry a mix of increasing and decreasing alleles for the QTL affecting LL and PBL. Longevity of the 6th rosette leaf was associated with different QTL than post-bolting longevity, and it was affected by different QTL depending on nutrient availability. In contrast, the major QTL affecting PBL exerted significant effects irrespective of soil nutrient availability.