Evaluation and QTL mapping of phosphorus concentration in soybean seed

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient required for many biological and metabolic plant functions. Phosphate is the form of P used by plants. Reducing the amount of P in the seed can further aide breeding efforts to reduce the amount of P released into the environment due to the indigestibility of the complexes formed with metal ions. Analysis of the variation of phosphorus concentration in soybean seed under non-stressed conditions revealed that phosphorus ranged from 3,948.1 to 5,695.8 μg/g total phosphorous (TP) in combined years. The averages for independent years were significantly different from one another. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis of TP was performed to identify candidate gene(s) that is (are) involved in P accumulation in soybean seed. One putative QTL region was identified on chromosome 12 in the combined data that contained a phosphate transporter gene. Two additional suggestive QTL were identified on chromosomes 7 and 17 with chromosome 7 having both a phosphate transport gene and a ZIP transporter gene in the region of the QTL. There were additional genes in these regions that are involved in phosphate metabolism and transport.