A consensus genetic map of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) based on 10 mapping populations

A consensus genetic map of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) was constructed by merging linkage maps from 10 different populations, using STMS (Sequence-tagged Microsatellite Sites) as bridging markers. These populations derived from five wide crosses (C. arietinum x Cicer reticulatum) and five narrow crosses (Desi x Kabuli types) were previously used for mapping genes for several agronomic traits such as ascochyta blight, fusarium wilt, rust resistance, seed weight, flowering time and days to flower. The integrated map obtained from wide crosses consists of 555 loci including, among other markers, 135 STMSs and 33 cross-genome markers distributed on eight linkage groups and covers 652.67 cM. The map obtained from narrow crosses comprises 99 STMSs, 3 SCARs, 1 ASAP, fusarium resistance gene, 5 morphological traits as well as RAPD and ISSR markers distributed on eight linkage groups covering 426.99 cM. Comparison between maps from wide and narrow crosses reflects a general coincidence, although some discrepancies are discussed. Medicago truncatula cross-genome markers were BLASTed against the M. truncatula pseudogenome permitting assignments of chickpea linkage groups LGI, II, III, IV, V and VI on Medicago chromosomes 2, 5, 7, 1, 3 and 4, respectively. A marker detectable on Medicago chromosome 4 were also located on LGVIII, This consensus map is an important progress to assist breeders for selecting suitable markers to be used in marker-assisted selection (MAS).