Affymetrix Axiom® Peanut 47K Genotyping Array

The cultivated peanut, A. hypogaea L., is a critical oil and food crop worldwide. Decoding the genetic makeup behind natural variation in kernel oil and fatty acid concentrations is crucial for molecular breeding-based nutrient quantity and quality manipulation. Herein, we recognized 87 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in 45 genomic regions for the concentrations of oil, oleic acid, and linoleic acid, as well as the oleic acid to linoleic acid (O/L) ratio via a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 499 peanut accessions. Eight QTLs clarified over 15% of the phenotypic variation in peanut accessions. Among the 45 potential genes significantly related to the 4 traits, only three genes displayed annotation to the fatty acid pathway. Furthermore, on the basis of pleiotropism or linkage data belonging to the identified singular QTLs, we generated a trait-locus axis to better elucidate the genetic background behind the observed oil and fatty acid concentration association. Together, our results provide strong evidence for the genetic mechanism behind oil biosynthesis in A. hypogaea L., facilitating future advances in multiple fatty acid component generation via pyramiding of desirable QTLs This natural population consisting of 499 peanut accessions combined with high-density SNPs will provide a better choice for identifying peanut QTLs/genes in the future. Together, our results provide strong evidence for the genetic mechanism behind oil biosynthesis in peanut, facilitating future advances in multiple fatty acid component generation via pyramiding of desirable QTLs. Copy number analysis of Affymetrix 47K SNP arrays was performed for 499 peanut accessions. Affymetrix SNP arrays were performed according to the manufacturer's directions on DNA extracted from frozen leaf samples.