Mapping of the stem rust resistance gene Pg13 in cultivated oat

Key message The widely deployed, oat stem rust resistance gene Pg13 was mapped by linkage analysis and association mapping, and KASP markers were developed for marker-assisted selection in breeding programs. Abstract Pg13 is one of the most extensively deployed stem rust resistance genes in North American oat cultivars. Identification of markers tightly linked to this gene will be useful for routine marker-assisted selection, identification of gene pyramids, and retention of the gene in backcrosses and three-way crosses. To this end, high-density linkage maps were constructed in four bi-parental mapping populations using SNP markers identified from 6K oat Infinium iSelect and genotyping-by-sequencing platforms. Additionally, genome-wide associations were identified using two sets of association panels consisting of diverse elite oat lines in one set and landrace accessions in the other. The results showed that Pg13 was located at approximately 67.7 cM on linkage group Mrg18 of the consensus genetic map. The gene co-segregated with the 7C-17A translocation breakpoint and with crown rust resistance gene Pc91 . Co-segregating markers with the best prediction accuracy were identified at 67.7–68.5 cM on Mrg18. KASP assays were developed for linked SNP loci for use in oat breeding.