A QTL mapping analysis of main yield traits in soybean

【Objective】This study explored closely linked and stable marker loci of soybean yield traits, giving a theoretical basis for cultivating high yield soybean varieties by marker-assisted selection.【Method】QTL mapping and effects of four major yield-related traits were analyzed using QTL IciMapping v2.2 complete interval mapping method for two years in soybean F₂ and its derived populations. 【Result and conclusion】The results showed that the LOD=2.5 was the threshold, and nineteen obvious additive effect QTLs were detected in the number of soybean seeds per plant, seeds mass per plant, 100 seeds mass and number of pods per planting four major production traits, including 15 main effect QTLs, namely, the number of seeds per plant QTLs 3, the number of pods per plant QTLs 2, seeds mass per plant QTLs 10, which were located at 4 (C2), 12 (G), 6 (A1) and 17 (M) 4 linkage groups. In addition, three stable QTLs were located in two years, namely, the number of seeds per plant QTL qNSPP-12-1, seeds mass per plant QTLs qSWPP-12-1 and qSWPP-12-2. One new QTL of seeds mass per plant was preliminarily located, namely, qSWPP-12-5. The stable existence and main effect QTLs which were detected in this study will give important guiding significance for soybean genetics and breeding in the future research.