A major yellow-seed QTL on chromosome A09 significantly increases the oil content and reduces the fiber content of seed in Brassica napus

Key message A major yellow-seed QTL on chromosome A09 significantly increases the oil content and reduces the fiber content of seed in Brassica napus. The yellow-seed trait (YST) has always been a main breeding objective for rapeseed because yellow-seeded B. napus generally contains higher oil contents, fewer pigments and polyphenols and lower fiber content than black-seeded B. napus, although the mechanism controlling this correlation remains unclear. In this study, QTL mapping was implemented for YST based on a KN double haploid population derived from the hybridization of yellow-seeded B. napus N53-2 with a high oil content and black-seeded Ken-C8 with a relatively low oil content. Ten QTLs were identified, including four stable QTLs that could be detected in multiple environments. A major QTL, cqSC-A09, on chromosome A09 was identified by both QTL mapping and BSR-Seq technology, and explained more than 41% of the phenotypic variance. The major QTL cqSC-A09 for YST not only controls the seed color but also affects the oil and fiber contents in seeds. More importantly, the advantageous allele could increase the oil content and reduce the pigment and fiber content at the same time. This is the first QTL reported to control seed color, oil content and fiber content simultaneously with a large effect and has great application value for breeding high oil varieties with high seed quality. Important candidate genes, including BnaA09. JAZ1, BnaA09. GH3.3 and BnaA09. LOX3, were identified for cqSC-A09 by combining sequence variation annotation, expression differences and an interaction network, which lays a foundation for further cloning and breeding applications in the future.

Automated summary

This study identified a major QTL, cqSC-A09, on chromosome A09 that controls seed color, oil content, and fiber content simultaneously in Brassica napus. This QTL has a large effect and can increase the oil content and reduce pigment and fiber content in seeds. The study also identified important candidate genes for cqSC-A09, which provides a foundation for further cloning and breeding applications. The results of this study have significant implications for breeding high oil quality rapeseed varieties.