Quantitative trait loci for phenology, yield, and phosphorus use efficiency in cowpea
Background/Objectives: Cowpea is an important legume crop in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and beyond. However, access to phosphorus (P), a critical element for plant growth and development, is a significant constraint in SSA. Thus, it is essential to have high P-use efficiency varieties to achieve incre...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
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MDPI
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173813 |
| _version_ | 1855516479900876800 |
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| author | Mohammed, S.B. Ongom, P.O. Belko, N. Umar, M.L. Munoz-Amatriain, M. Huynh, B. Togola, A. Ishiyaku, M.F. Boukar, O. |
| author_browse | Belko, N. Boukar, O. Huynh, B. Ishiyaku, M.F. Mohammed, S.B. Munoz-Amatriain, M. Ongom, P.O. Togola, A. Umar, M.L. |
| author_facet | Mohammed, S.B. Ongom, P.O. Belko, N. Umar, M.L. Munoz-Amatriain, M. Huynh, B. Togola, A. Ishiyaku, M.F. Boukar, O. |
| author_sort | Mohammed, S.B. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Background/Objectives: Cowpea is an important legume crop in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and beyond. However, access to phosphorus (P), a critical element for plant growth and development, is a significant constraint in SSA. Thus, it is essential to have high P-use efficiency varieties to achieve increased yields in environments where little-to- no phosphate fertilizers are applied. Methods: In this study, crop phenology, yield, and grain P efficiency traits were assessed in two recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations across ten environments under high- and low-P soil conditions to identify traits’ response to different soil P levels and associated quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Single-environment (SEA) and multi-environment (MEA) QTL analyses were conducted for days to flowering (DTF), days to maturity (DTM), biomass yield (BYLD), grain yield (GYLD), grain P-use efficiency (gPUE) and grain P-uptake efficiency (gPUpE). Results: Phenotypic data indicated significant variation among the RILs, and inadequate soil P had a negative impact on flowering, maturity, and yield traits. A total of 40 QTLs were identified by SEA, with most explaining greater than 10% of the phenotypic variance, indicating that many major-effect QTLs contributed to the genetic component of these traits. Similarly, MEA identified 23 QTLs associated with DTF, DTM, GYLD, and gPUpE under high- and low-P environments. Thirty percent (12/40) of the QTLs identified by SEA were also found by MEA, and some of those were identified in more than one P environment, highlighting their potential in breeding programs targeting PUE. QTLs on chromosomes Vu03 and Vu08 exhibited consistent effects under both high- and low-P conditions. In addition, candidate genes underlying the QTL regions were identified. Conclusions: This study lays the foundation for molecular breeding for PUE and contributes to understanding the genetic basis of cowpea response in different soil P conditions. Some of the identified genomic loci, many being novel QTLs, could be deployed in marker-aided selection and fine mapping of candidate genes. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace173813 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | MDPI |
| publisherStr | MDPI |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1738132025-12-08T10:29:22Z Quantitative trait loci for phenology, yield, and phosphorus use efficiency in cowpea Mohammed, S.B. Ongom, P.O. Belko, N. Umar, M.L. Munoz-Amatriain, M. Huynh, B. Togola, A. Ishiyaku, M.F. Boukar, O. cowpeas soil yields quantitative trait loci soil fertility food security grain legumes Background/Objectives: Cowpea is an important legume crop in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and beyond. However, access to phosphorus (P), a critical element for plant growth and development, is a significant constraint in SSA. Thus, it is essential to have high P-use efficiency varieties to achieve increased yields in environments where little-to- no phosphate fertilizers are applied. Methods: In this study, crop phenology, yield, and grain P efficiency traits were assessed in two recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations across ten environments under high- and low-P soil conditions to identify traits’ response to different soil P levels and associated quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Single-environment (SEA) and multi-environment (MEA) QTL analyses were conducted for days to flowering (DTF), days to maturity (DTM), biomass yield (BYLD), grain yield (GYLD), grain P-use efficiency (gPUE) and grain P-uptake efficiency (gPUpE). Results: Phenotypic data indicated significant variation among the RILs, and inadequate soil P had a negative impact on flowering, maturity, and yield traits. A total of 40 QTLs were identified by SEA, with most explaining greater than 10% of the phenotypic variance, indicating that many major-effect QTLs contributed to the genetic component of these traits. Similarly, MEA identified 23 QTLs associated with DTF, DTM, GYLD, and gPUpE under high- and low-P environments. Thirty percent (12/40) of the QTLs identified by SEA were also found by MEA, and some of those were identified in more than one P environment, highlighting their potential in breeding programs targeting PUE. QTLs on chromosomes Vu03 and Vu08 exhibited consistent effects under both high- and low-P conditions. In addition, candidate genes underlying the QTL regions were identified. Conclusions: This study lays the foundation for molecular breeding for PUE and contributes to understanding the genetic basis of cowpea response in different soil P conditions. Some of the identified genomic loci, many being novel QTLs, could be deployed in marker-aided selection and fine mapping of candidate genes. 2025 2025-03-24T08:43:26Z 2025-03-24T08:43:26Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173813 en Open Access application/pdf MDPI Mohammed, S.B., Ongom, P.O., Belko, N., Umar, M.L., Muñoz-Amatriaín, M., Huynh, B.L., ... & Boukar, O. (2025). Quantitative trait loci for phenology, yield, and phosphorus use efficiency in cowpea. Genes, 16(1): 64, 1-33. |
| spellingShingle | cowpeas soil yields quantitative trait loci soil fertility food security grain legumes Mohammed, S.B. Ongom, P.O. Belko, N. Umar, M.L. Munoz-Amatriain, M. Huynh, B. Togola, A. Ishiyaku, M.F. Boukar, O. Quantitative trait loci for phenology, yield, and phosphorus use efficiency in cowpea |
| title | Quantitative trait loci for phenology, yield, and phosphorus use efficiency in cowpea |
| title_full | Quantitative trait loci for phenology, yield, and phosphorus use efficiency in cowpea |
| title_fullStr | Quantitative trait loci for phenology, yield, and phosphorus use efficiency in cowpea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantitative trait loci for phenology, yield, and phosphorus use efficiency in cowpea |
| title_short | Quantitative trait loci for phenology, yield, and phosphorus use efficiency in cowpea |
| title_sort | quantitative trait loci for phenology yield and phosphorus use efficiency in cowpea |
| topic | cowpeas soil yields quantitative trait loci soil fertility food security grain legumes |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173813 |
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