Insights into the Genetic Determination of the Autotetraploid Potato Plant Height

Plant height is an important characteristic, the modification of which can improve the ability of stress adaptation as well as the yield. In this study, genome-wide association analysis was performed for plant height traits in 370 potato cultivars using the tetraploid potato genome as a reference. A total of 92 significant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci for plant height were obtained, which were particularly significant in haplotypes A3 and A4 on chromosome 1 and A1, A2, and A4 on chromosome 5. Thirty-five candidate genes were identified that were mainly involved in the gibberellin and brassinolide signal transduction pathways, including the FAR1 gene, methyltransferase, ethylene response factor, and ubiquitin protein ligase. Among them, PIF3 and GID1a were only present on chromosome 1, with PIF3 in all four haplotypes and GID1a in haplotype A3. This could lead to more effective genetic loci for molecular marker-assisted selection breeding as well as more precise localization and cloning of genes for plant height traits in potatoes.

Automated summary

In this study, genome-wide association analysis was performed for plant height traits in 370 potato cultivars. A total of 92 significant SNP loci associated with plant height were identified. These loci were mainly found in specific haplotypes on chromosome 1 and chromosome 5, and were related to 35 candidate genes involved in hormone signal transduction pathways. The discovery of PIF3 and GID1a genes on chromosome 1 provides more effective genetic loci for marker-assisted breeding and precise localization and cloning of plant height genes in potatoes.