Data from: Shared genomic regions between derivatives of a large segregating population of maize identified using bulked segregant analysis sequencing and traditional linkage analysis

Delayed transition from the vegetative stage to the reproductive stage of
development and increased plant height have been shown to increase biomass
productivity in grasses. The goal of this project was to detect
quantitative trait loci using extremes from a large synthetic population,
as well as a related recombinant inbred line mapping population for these
two traits. Ten thousand individuals from a B73 × Mo17 noninbred
population intermated for 14 generations (IBM Syn14) were grown at a
density of approximately 16,500 plants ha−1. Flowering time and plant
height were measured within this population. DNA was pooled from the 46
most extreme individuals from each distributional tail for each of the
traits measured and used in bulk segregant analysis (BSA) sequencing.
Allelic divergence at each of the ∼1.1 million SNP loci was estimated as
the difference in allele frequencies between the selected extremes.
Additionally, 224 intermated B73 × Mo17 recombinant inbred lines were
concomitantly grown at a similar density adjacent to the large synthetic
population and were assessed for flowering time and plant height. Using
the BSA sequencing method, 14 and 13 genomic regions were identified for
flowering time and plant height, respectively. Linkage mapping with the
RIL population identified eight and three regions for flowering time and
plant height, respectively. Of the regions identified, three colocalized
between the two populations for flowering time and two colocalized for
plant height. This study demonstrates the utility of using BSA sequencing
for the dissection of complex quantitative traits important for production
of lignocellulosic ethanol.