Genetic Analysis of Heat Tolerance at Anthesis in Rice

Genetic analysis of heat tolerance will help breeders produce rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties adapted to future climates. An F-6 population of 181 recombinant inbred lines of Bala (tolerant) x Azucena (susceptible) was screened for heat tolerance at anthesis by measuring spikelet fertility at 30 degrees C (control) and 38 degrees C (high temperature) in experiments conducted in the Philippines and the United Kingdom. The parents varied significantly for absolute spikelet fertility under control (79-87%) and at high temperature (2.9-47.1%), and for relative spikelet fertility (high temperature/control) at high temperature (3.7-54.9%). There was no correlation between spikelet fertility in control and high-temperature conditions and no common quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified. Two QTLs for spikelet fertility under control conditions were identified on chromosomes 2 and 4. Eight QTLs for spikelet fertility under high-temperature conditions were identified on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, and 11. The most significant heat-responsive QTL, contributed by Bala and explaining up to 18% of the phenotypic variation, was identified on chromosome 1 (38.35 mega base pairs on the rice physical genome map). This QTL was also found to influence plant height, explaining 36.6% of the phenotypic variation. A comparison with other studies of abiotic (drought, cold, salinity) stresses showed QTLs at similar positions on chromosomes 1, 3, 8, and 10, suggesting common underlying stress-responsive regions of the genome.