GRAS-Di marker system facilitates high-density genetic map construction and QTL identifications in recombinant inbred lines of wheat diploid progenitor Aegilops tauschii

Triticeae species have large and complex genomes. Efficient methods for detection of genetic markers and construction of linkage maps are still demanded. Here, we show a high-density linkage map and identifications of quantitative traits loci (QTLs) for recombination inbred lines of Aegilops tauschii, D genome donor of bread wheat, using the recently developed method GRAS-Di system, which facilitates skimming of the big and complicated genome and generates a large number of genetic markers. The deduced linkage groups based on the GRAS-Di genetic markers were corresponding to the chromosome number of Ae. tauschii. We successfully identified QTLs of flowering/heading time and spikelet shape-related traits. Especially, one of the QTLs of flowering time was mapped close to the FT/VRN3 that controls flowering. GRAS-Di system is, therefore, an efficient and useful application to genotyping and linkage mapping for large and complex genome species like Triticease.