Mapping QTLs for Drought Tolerance at Seedling Stage in Rice Using Doubled Haploid Population

QTLs for drought tolerance at the rice seedling stage were analyzed using a doubled haploid (DH) population consisted of 251 lines from the cross between a japonica parent Maybelle and an indica parent Baiyeqiu. A genetic linkage map with 226 SSR marker loci was constructed. Single-locus analysis following composite interval mapping (CIM) detected a total of five QTLs located on five different chromosomes of rice. Four QTLs were also detected following two-locus analysis, resolving two pairs of epistatic QTLs (E-QTLs) with positive and additive genetic effects. The results indicated that the alleles from the parent Baiyeqiu contributed DH population to improve drought tolerance at the seedling stage.