Rice is highly sensitive to salt stress at flowering stage. With the objective of detection of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in multi-environment for this stage, 180 backcross-derived lines (BC3F5) from salt tolerant donor Pokkali (AC41585) and recurrent parent IR 64 were subjected to evaluation in saline (EC = 8 dSm−1) and non-saline environments in wet season of 2014 and 2015 employing a novel phenotyping protocol. Nine multi-environmental consistent QTLs for spikelet degeneration, K+ concentration in flag leaf, stress susceptibility index for grain (SSI-Grain) and spikelet sterility (SSI-STE) on chromosomes1, 2, 3, 4 and 11 with 17–42% phenotypic variances were detected. Among several digenic epistatic interactions, one was associated with the main effect QTL (qSSI-STE-11-1) over the years. Similarly genotype × environment interaction associated with two additive QTLs, qDEG-S-2-2 and qSSI-STE-2-1 had positive effect on the resultant phenotype. Functional genes encoding calmodulin-binding protein and potassium transporter were predicted inside the consistent QTLs. Detected stable QTLs, associated markers, predicted genes and derived introgression lines with these QTLs could be utilized in future breeding programme.

中文翻译：

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水稻生殖期耐盐性状的遗传剖析

水稻在开花期对盐胁迫高度敏感。为了在此阶段检测多环境中的数量性状基因座 (QTL)，对来自耐盐供体 Pokkali (AC41585) 和轮回亲本 IR 64 的 180 个回交衍生品系 (BC3F5) 在盐水中进行评估 (EC = 8 dSm-1) 和 2014 年和 2015 年雨季的非盐分环境采用新型表型分析协议。九个多环境一致 QTL，用于小穗退化、旗叶中 K+ 浓度、谷物胁迫敏感性指数 (SSI-Grain) 和染色体 1、2、3、4 和 11 上的小穗不育 (SSI-STE)，表型为 17-42%检测到差异。在几个双基因上位相互作用中，多年来一个与主效应 QTL (qSSI-STE-11-1) 相关。同样，与两个加性 QTL、qDEG-S-2-2 和 qSSI-STE-2-1 相关的基因型×环境相互作用对所得表型有积极影响。在一致的 QTL 内预测了编码钙调蛋白结合蛋白和钾转运蛋白的功能基因。检测到的稳定 QTL、相关标记、预测基因和具有这些 QTL 的衍生基因渗入系可用于未来的育种计划。