Plant Biology Commons^™

Microrna Biogenesis, Degradation And Activity In Plants, Meng Xie, Shuxin Zhang, Bin Yu

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

microRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression. After excised from primary miRNA transcript by dicer-like1 (DCL1, an RNAse III enzyme), miRNAs bind and guide their effector protein named argonaute 1 (AGO1) to silence the expression of target RNAs containing their complementary sequences in plants. miRNA levels and activities are tightly controlled to ensure their functions in various biological processes such as development, metabolism and responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. Studies have identified many factors that involve in miRNA accumulation and activities. Characterization of these factors in turn greatly improves our understanding of the processes related to miRNAs. Here, …

Modifications Of Membrane Lipids In Response To Wounding Of Arabidopsis Thaliana Leaves, Hieu Sy Vu, Rebecca Roston, Sunitha Shiva, Manhoi Hur, Eve Syrkin Wurtele, Xuemin Wang, Jyoti Shah, Ruth Welti

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Mechanical wounding of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves results in modifications of most membrane lipids within 6 hours. Here, we discuss the lipid changes, their underlying biochemistry, and possible relationships among activated pathways. New evidence is presented supporting the role of the processive galactosylating enzyme SENSITIVE TO FREEZING2 in the wounding response.

Characterization Of Novel Sorghum Brown Midrib Mutants From An Ems-Mutagenized Population, Scott E. Sattler, Ana Saballos, Zhanguo Xin, Deanna L. Funnell-Harris, Wilfred Vermerris, Jeffrey F. Pedersen

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Reducing lignin concentration in lignocellulosic biomass can increase forage digestibility for

ruminant livestock and saccharification yields of biomass for bioenergy. In sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and several other C4 grasses, brown midrib (bmr) mutants have been shown to reduce lignin concentration. Putative bmr mutants isolated from an EMS-mutagenized population were characterized and classified based on their leaf midrib phenotype and allelism tests with the previously described sorghum bmr mutants bmr2, bmr6, and bmr12. These tests resulted in the identification of additional alleles of bmr2, bmr6, and bmr12, and, in addition, six bmr …

Patch Burning: Implications On Water Erosion And Soil Properties, Altingul Ozaslan Parlak, Mehmet Parlak, Humberto Blanco-Canqui, Walter H. Schacht, John A. Guretzky, Martha Mamo

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Patch burning can be a potential management tool to create grassland heterogeneity and enhance forage productivity and plant biodiversity, but its impacts on soil and environment have not been widely documented. In summer 2013, we studied the effect of time after patch burning (4 mo after burning [recently burned patches], 16 mo after burning [older burned patches], and unburned patches [control]) on vegetative cover, water erosion, and soil properties on a patch-burn experiment established in 2011 on a Yutan silty clay loam near Mead, NE. The recently burned patches had 29 ± 8.0% (mean ± SD) more bare ground, 21 …

Foliar Fungicide Comparisons For Gray Leaf Spot Management And Lodging In Nebraska Field Corn, 2014, J. D. Harbour, T. A. Jackson-Ziems

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The objective of the trial was to compare foliar fungicides with other fungicide programs for gray leaf spot (GLS) efficacy. Corn was grown under normal, irrigated agronomic practices at the South Central Ag Lab near Clay Center, NE. Soils were a silt loam with 6.7 pH and 1.8 % organic matter, and the previous crop was corn. Reduced tillage was performed to the field prior to planting. Corn (DKC 64-83 RIB, moderately susceptible to GLS) was planted at approximately 34,000 seed/A on 20 May. Eleven treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with six replications. . . . …

Corn Disease Update, Tamra A. Jackson-Ziems

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The harsh growing conditions during 2014 contributed to several disease problems in corn, in spite of the overall high yields across the state. The extended cold and wet conditions early in the season led to development of seedling diseases and crop stress. Then, in many parts of the state, repeated and unprecedented strong storms battered and wounded crops with multiple and widespread hail events, high winds, very heavy rain, and devastating tornadoes. Many fields were planted late or replanted, some more than once, further delaying the crop. Cool summer and fall conditions delayed maturity and led to early frost events …

What’S New In Plant Pathology, Tamra A. Jackson-Ziems, Loren Giesler, Robert M. Harveson, Stephen N. Wegulo, Kevin A. Korus, Tony O. Adesemoye

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Extension Plant Pathology Team Update

Changes to the Plant Disease Management Section of the 2015 Weed Guide

During the past year, several new products have become available for disease management. These products and additional products have been added to the Plant Disease Management Section of the 2015 Weed Guide. Products added to the Weed Guide have been summarized in Tables 1-3.

Table 1. Foliar Products

Table 2. Seed Treatment Products

Table 3. Seed Treatment Nematicides

Differentiating Chemical And Disease Symptoms In The Field, Kevin A. Korus, Loren J. Giesler, Robert M. Harveson, Tamra A. Jackson-Ziems, Lowell Sandell, Stephen Wegulo

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

In years with conditions favorable for seedling disease and other disease there are typically concerns and inquiries about the cause(s) of symptoms in agronomic plants. Many of the questions focus on differentiating between plant injuries potentially caused by recent herbicide applications versus symptoms caused by plant pathogens. Chemical injury in row crops is caused by chemicals such as herbicides, fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides, growth regulators, and crop oils when they are applied individually, as a mixture, or together with adjuvants. If chemicals are applied incorrectly, plants may be damaged at any point during the growing season. Chemical injury can result from …

Effect Of Waxy (Low Amylose) On Fungal Infection Of Sorghum Grain, Deanna L. Funnell-Harris, Scott E. Sattler, Patrick M. O'Neill, Kent M. Eskridge, Jeffrey F. Pedersen

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Loss of function mutations in waxy, encoding granule bound starch synthase (GBSS) that synthesizes amylose, results in starch granules containing mostly amylopectin. Low amylose grain with altered starch properties has increased usability for feed, food, and grain-based ethanol. In sorghum, two classes of waxy (wx) alleles had been characterized for absence or presence of GBSS: wx^a (GBSS^-) and wx^b (GBSS+, with reduced activity). Field-grown grain of wild-type; waxy, GBSS^-; and waxy, GBSS⁺ plant introduction accessions were screened for fungal infection. Overall, results showed that waxy grains were not more susceptible than …

Multi-Year Pathogen Survey Of Biofuel Switchgrass Breeding Plots Reveals High Prevalence Of Infections By Panicum Mosaic Virus And Its Satellite Virus, Catherine L. Stewart, Jesse D. Pyle, Charlene C. Jochum, Kenneth P. Vogel, Gary Y. Yuen, Karen-Beth G. Scholthof

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) cultivars are currently under development as lignocellulosic feedstock. Here we present a survey of three established switchgrass experimental nurseries in Nebraska in which we identified Panicum mosaic virus (PMV) as the most prevalent virus. In 2012, 72% of 139 symptomatic plants tested positive for PMV. Of the PMV-positive samples, 19% were coinfected with its satellite virus (SPMV). Less than 14% of all sampled plants in 2012 were positive for four additional viruses known to infect switchgrass. In 2013, randomized sampling of switchgrass individuals from the same 2012 breeding plots revealed that infection by PMV or PMV+SPMV …

In Vitro Transcripts Of Wild-Type And Fluorescent Protein-Tagged Triticum Mosaic Virus (Family Potyviridae) Are Biologically Active In Wheat, Satyanarayana Tatineni, Anthony J. Mcmechan, Melissa Bartels, Gary L. Hein, Robert A. Graybosch

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV) (genus Poacevirus, family Potyviridae) is a recently described eriophyid mite-transmitted wheat virus. In vitro RNA transcripts generated from full-length cDNA clones of TriMV proved infectious on wheat. Wheat seedlings inoculated with in vitro transcripts elicited mosaic and mottling symptoms similar to the wildtype virus, and the progeny virus was efficiently transmitted by wheat curl mites, indicating that the cloned virus retained pathogenicity, movement, and wheat curl mite transmission characteristics. A series of TriMV-based expression vectors was constructed by engineering a green fluorescent protein (GFP) or red fluorescent protein (RFP) open reading frame with homologous …

Fine-Scale Genetic Structure Of Monilinia Fructicola During Brown Rot Epidemics Within Individual Peach Tree Canopies, Sydney E. Everhart, H. Scherm

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine the fine-scale genetic structure of populations of the brown rot pathogen Monilinia fructicola within individual peach tree canopies to better understand within-tree plant pathogen diversity and to complement previous work on spatiotemporal development of brown rot disease at the canopy level. Across 3 years in a total of six trees, we monitored disease development, collected isolates from every M. fructicola symptom during the course of the season, and created high-resolution three-dimensional maps of all symptom and isolate locations within individual canopies using an electromagnetic digitizer. Each canopy population (65 to 173 isolates …

Recommendations Of Generic Names In Diaporthales Competing For Protection Or Use, Amy Y. Rossman, Gerard C. Adams, Paul F. Cannon, Lisa A. Castlebury, Pedro W. Crous, Marieka Gryzenhout, Walter M. Jaklitsch, Luis C. Mejia, Dmitar Stoykov, Dhanushka Udayanga, Hermann Voglmayr, Donald M. Walker

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

In advancing to one name for fungi, this paper treats generic names competing for use in the order Diaporthales (Ascomycota, Sordariomycetes) and makes a recommendation for the use or protection of one generic name among synonymous names that may be either sexually or asexually typified. A table is presented that summarizes these recommendations. Among the genera most commonly encountered in this order, Cytospora is recommended over Valsa and Diaporthe over Phomopsis. New combinations are introduced for the oldest epithet of important species in the recommended genus. These include Amphiporthe tiliae, Coryneum lanciforme, Cytospora brevispora, C. ceratosperma, C. …

Species Associated With Cytospora Canker On Populus Tremuloides, Jeff B. Kepley, F. Brent Reeves, William R. Jacobi, Gerard C. Adams

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

A new species that is often associated with Cytospora chrysosperma was found commonly on stems of Populus tremuloides in Colorado. This fungus is illustrated and described as Cytospora notastroma sp. nov., and morphological and molecular data demonstrate that the new species is distinct from C. chrysosperma, C. nivea, C. translucens, and other species found on Populus. Diagnostic features are superficially visible, darkly pigmented conceptacles circumscribing the ascostromata and conidiomata and surrounding the white to grayish-white discs; some isolates produce a Phialocephala-like synanamorph in vitro in addition to the Cytospora anamorph.

The Taurine Biosynthetic Pathway Of Microalgae, Rahul Tevatia, James Allen, Deepak Rudrappa, Derrick White, Thomas E. Clemente, Heriberto Cerutti, Yaşar Demirel, Paul H. Blum

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is an amino acid–like compound widely distributed in animals and an essential nutrient in some species. Targeted metabolomics of marine and freshwater microalgae combined with medium supplementation identified biosynthetic pathway intermediates and necessary catalytic activities. Genomic analysis was then used to predict the first taurine biosynthetic pathway in these organisms. MRM-based electrospray ionization (ESI) LC–MS/MS analysis demonstrated that taurine is synthesized using a carbon backbone from L-serine combined with sulfur derived from sulfate. Metabolite analysis showed a nonuniform pattern in levels of pathway intermediates that were both species and supplement dependent. While increased culture salinity raised taurine …

Model And Sensor-Based Recommendation Approaches For In-Season Nitrogen Management In Corn, L. J. Thompson, R. B. Ferguson, N. Kitchen, D. W. Frazen, M. Mamo, H. Yang, J. S. Schepers

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Nitrogen management for corn (Zea mays L.) may be improved by applying a portion of N in-season. This investigation was conducted to evaluate crop modeling (Maize-N) and active crop canopy sensing approaches for recommending in-season N fertilizer rates. These approaches were evaluated during 2012–2013 on 11 field sites, in Missouri, Nebraska, and North Dakota. Nitrogen management also included a no-N treatment (check) and a non-limiting N reference (all at planting). Nitrogen management treatments were assessed for two hybrids and at low and high seeding rates, arranged in a randomized complete block design. In 9 of 11 site-years, the sensor-based …

Roles And Programming Of Arabidopsis Argonaute Proteins During Turnip Mosaic Virus Infection, Hernan Garcia-Ruiz, Alberto Carbonell, J. Steen Hoyer, Noah Fahlgren, Kerrigan B. Gilbert, Atsushi Takeda, Annalisa Giampetruzzi, Mayra T. Garcia Ruiz, Michaela G. Mcginn, Nicholas Lowery, Maria T. Martinez Baladejo, James C. Carrington

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

In eukaryotes, ARGONAUTE proteins (AGOs) associate with microRNAs (miRNAs), short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and other classes of small RNAs to regulate target RNA or target loci. Viral infection in plants induces a potent and highly specific antiviral RNA silencing response characterized by the formation of virus-derived siRNAs. Arabidopsis thaliana has ten AGO genes of which AGO1, AGO2, and AGO7 have been shown to play roles in antiviral defense. A genetic analysis was used to identify and characterize the roles of AGO proteins in antiviral defense against Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) in Arabidopsis. AGO1, AGO2 and AGO10 promoted anti-TuMV defense …

Calibration And Validation Of The Hybrid-Maize Crop Model For Regional Analysis And Application Over The U.S. Corn Belt, Xing Liu, Jeff Andresen, Haishun Yang, Dev Niyogi

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Detailed parameter sensitivity, model validation, and regional calibration of the Hybrid-Maize crop model were undertaken for the purpose of regional agroclimatic assessments. The model was run at both field scale and county scale. The county-scale study was based on 30-yr daily weather data and corn yield data from the National Agricultural Statistics Service survey for 24 locations across the Corn Belt of the United States. The field-scale study was based on AmeriFlux sites at Bondville, Illinois, andMead, Nebraska. By using the one-at-a-time and interaction-explicit factorial design approaches for sensitivity analysis, the study found that the five most sensitive parameters of …

From Select Agent To An Established Pathogen: The Response To Phakopsora Pachyrhizi (Soybean Rust) In North America, Heather Y. Kelly, Nicholas S. Dufault, David R. Walker, Scott A. Isard, Raymond W. Schneider, Loren J. Giesler, David L. Wright, James J. Marois, Glen L. Hartman

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The pathogen causing soybean rust, Phakopsora pachyrhizi, was first described in Japan in 1902. The disease was important in the Eastern Hemisphere for many decades before the fungus was reported in Hawaii in 1994, which was followed by reports from countries in Africa and South America. In 2004, P. pachyrhizi was confirmed in Louisiana, making it the first report in the continental United States. Based on yield losses from countries in Asia, Africa, and South America, it was clear that this pathogen could have a major economic impact on the yield of 30 million ha of soybean in the …

Pilg Is Involved In The Regulation Of Twitching Motility And Antifungal Antibiotic Biosynthesis In The Biological Control Agent Lysobacter Enzymogenes, Xue Zhou, Guoliang Qian, Yuan Chen, Liangcheng Du, Fengquan Liu, Gary Y. Yuen

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Lysobacter enzymogenes strain C3 is a gliding bacterium which produces the antifungal secondary metabolite heat-stable antifungal factor (HSAF) and type IV pilus (T4P) as important mechanisms in biological control activity against fungal pathogens. To date, the regulators that control HSAF biosynthesis and T4P-dependent twitching motility in L. enzymogenes are poorly explored. In the present study, we addressed the role of pilG in the regulation of these two traits in L. enzymogenes. PilG of L. enzymogenes was found to be a response regulator, commonly known as a component of a two-component transduction system. Mutation of pilG in strain C3 abolished its …

Fungicide And Herbicide Effects On Gray Leaf Spot In Nebraska Field Corn, 2014, J. D. Harbour, T. A. Jackson-Ziems

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The objective of the trial was to compare fungicide and herbicide treatments for gray leaf spot (GLS) efficacy. Corn was grown under normal, irrigated agronomic practices at the South Central Ag Lab near Clay Center, NE. Soils were a silt loam with 6.7 pH and 1.8% organic matter and the previous crop was corn. Reduced tillage was performed prior to planting. Corn (DKC 64-83 RIB, moderately susceptible to GLS) was planted at approximately 34,000 seed/A on 2 May. Seven treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with six replications. . . . Treatments applied at V8 or R1 …

Characterizing The Agronomic Benefits Of Solatenol Fungicide Tank-Mixture Applications In Nebraska Field Corn, 2014, J. D. Harbour, T. A. Jackson-Ziems

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The objective of the trial was characterize Solatenol fungicide tank mix programs and compare performance to Quilt Xcel for gray leaf spot (GLS) efficacy. Corn was grown under normal, irrigated agronomic practices at the South Central Ag Lab near Clay Center, NE. Soils were a silt loam with 6.7 pH and 1.8 % organic matter. Reduced tillage was performed to the field prior to planting. Corn (G11U58-3111 susceptible to GLS) was planted at approximately 34,000 seed/A on 20 May. Eight treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with six replications. . . . Fungicides applied at V5, R1, …

A Spectrum Of Hrt-Dependent Hypersensitive Responses Elicited By The 52 Amino Acid N-Terminus Of Turnip Crinkle Virus Capsid Protein And Its Mutants, Sung-Hwan Kang, Feng Qu, Thomas Jack Morris

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The capsid protein (CP) of turnip crinkle virus (TCV) is the elicitor of hypersensitive response (HR) and resistance mediated by the resistance protein HRT in the Di-17 ecotype of Arabidopsis. Here we identified the N-terminal 52-amino-acid R domain of TCV CP as the elicitor of HRT-dependent HR in Nicotiana benthamiana. Mutating this domain at position 6 (R6A), but not at positions 8 (R8A) or 14 (G14A), abolished HR in N. benthamiana. However, on Di-17 Arabidopsis leaves only R8A R domain elicited visible epidermal HR. When incorporated in infectious TCV RNAs, R8A and G14A mutations exerted dramatically different effects …

Potential For Crop Production Increase In Argentina Through Closure Of Existing Yield Gaps, Fernando Aramburu Merlos, Juan Pablo Monzon, Jorge L. Mercau, Miguel Taboada, Fernando H. Andrade, Antonio J. Hall, Esteban Jobbagy, Kenneth Cassman, Patricio Grassini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Favorable climate and soils for rainfed crop production, together with a relatively low population density,results in 70–90% of Argentina grain production being exported. No assessment to date has tried to estimate the potential for extra grain production for soybean, wheat and maize, which account for 78%of total harvested area, by yield gap closure on existing cropland area and its impact at a global scale.The objectives of this paper are (i) to estimate how much additional grain could be produced without expanding crop area by closing yield gaps in Argentina, (ii) to investigate how this production and yield gaps varies across …

Qtl For Seed Protein And Amino Acids In The Benning × Danbaekkong Soybean Population, C. V. Warrington, H. Abdel‑Haleem, D. L. Hyten, P. B. Cregan, J. H. Orf, A. S. Killam, N. Bajjalieh, Z. Li, H. R. Boerma

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Soybean, rather than nitrogen-containing forages, is the primary source of quality protein in feed formulations for domestic swine, poultry, and dairy industries. As a sole dietary source of protein, soybean is deficient in the amino acids lysine (Lys), threonine (Thr), methionine (Met), and cysteine (Cys). Increasing these amino acids would benefit the feed industry. The objective of the present study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with crude protein (cp) and amino acids in the ‘Benning’ × ‘Danbaekkong’ population. The population was grown in five southern USA environments. Amino acid concentrations as a fraction of cp (Lys/cp, Thr/cp, …

Fingerprinting Soybean Germplasm And Its Utility In Genomic Research, Qijian Song, D. L. Hyten, Gaofeng Jia, Charles V. Quigley, Edward W. Fickus, Randall L. Nelson, P. B. Cregan

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The United States Department of Agriculture, Soybean Germplasm Collection includes 18,480 domesticated soybean and 1,168 wild soybean accessions introduced from 84 countries or developed in the U.S. This collection was genotyped with the SoySNP50K BeadChip containing greater than 50K SNPs. Redundant accessions were identified in the collection and distinct genetic backgrounds of soybean from different geographic origins were observed that could be a unique resource for soybean genetic improvement. We detected a dramatic reduction of genetic diversity based on linkage disequilibrium and haplotype structure analyses of the wild, landrace and North American cultivar populations and identified candidate regions associated with …

A Genomic Selection Index Applied To Simulated And Real Data, J. Jesus Ceron-Rojas, Jose Crossa, Vivi N. Arief, Kaye Basford, Jessica Rutkoski, Diego Jarquin, Gregorio Alvarado, Yoseph Beyene, Kassa Semagn, Ian Delacy

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

A genomic selection index (GSI) is a linear combination of genomic estimated breeding values that uses genomic markers to predict the net genetic merit and select parents from a nonphenotyped testing population. Some authors have proposed a GSI; however, they have not used simulated or real data to validate the GSI theory and have not explained how to estimate the GSI selection response and the GSI expected genetic gain per selection cycle for the unobserved traits after the first selection cycle to obtain information about the genetic gains in each subsequent selection cycle. In this paper, we develop the theory …

First Approximations Of Prescribed Fire Risks Relative To Other Management Techniques Used On Private Lands, Dirac L. Twidwell, Carissa L. Wonkka, Michael T. Sindelar, John R. Weir

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Fire is widely recognized as a critical ecological and evolutionary driver that needs to be at the forefront of land management actions if conservation targets are to be met. However, the prevailing view is that prescribed fire is riskier than other land management techniques. Perceived risks associated with the application of fire limits its use and reduces agency support for prescribed burning in the private sector. As a result, considerably less cost-share support is given for prescribed fire compared to mechanical techniques. This study tests the general perception that fire is a riskier technique relative to other land management options. …

Transgenic Wheat Expressing A Barley Udp-Glucosyltransferase Detoxifies Deoxynivalenol And Provides High Levels Of Resistance To Fusarium Graminearum, Xi Li, Sanghyun Shin, Shane Heinen, Ruth Dill-Macky, Franz Berthiller, Natalya Nersesian, Thomas Clemente, Susan Mccormick, Gary J. Muehbauer

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Fusarium head blight (FHB), mainly caused by Fusarium graminearum, is a devastating disease of wheat that results in economic losses worldwide. During infection, F. graminearum produces trichothecene mycotoxins, including deoxynivalenol (DON), that increase fungal virulence and reduce grain quality. Transgenic wheat expressing a barley UDP-glucosyltransferase (HvUGT13248) were developed and evaluated for FHB resistance, DON accumulation, and the ability to metabolize DON to the less toxic DON-3-O-glucoside (D3G). Pointinoculation tests in the greenhouse showed that transgenic wheat carrying HvUGT13248 exhibited significantly higher resistance to disease spread in the spike (type II resistance) compared with nontransformed controls. Two transgenic …

Understanding Rice Adaptation To Varying Agro-Ecosystems: Trait Interactions And Quantitative Trait Loci, Shalabh Dixit, Alexandre Grondin, Cheng-Ruei Lee, Amelia Henry, Thomas-Mitchell Olds, Arvind Kumar

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Background: Interaction and genetic control for traits influencing the adaptation of the rice crop to varying environments was studied in a mapping population derived from parents (Moroberekan and Swarna) contrasting for drought tolerance, yield potential, lodging resistance, and adaptation to dry direct seeding. A BC₂F₃-derived mapping population for traits related to these four trait groups was phenotyped to understand the interactions among traits and to map and align QTLs using composite interval mapping (CIM). The study also aimed to identify QTLs for the four trait groups as composite traits using multivariate least square interval mapping (MLSIM) …