GWAS hints at pleiotropic roles forFLOWERING LOCUS Tin flowering time and yield-related traits in canola

AbstractTransition to flowering at the right time is critical for local adaptation and to maximize seed yield in canola, which is an important oilseed crop. There is extensive variation among canola varieties in flowering time. However, our understanding of underlying genes and their role in canola productivity is still limited. We reveal natural variation in flowering time and response to photoperiod in a diverse GWAS panel (up to 368 accessions) of canola and identify associated SNPs across multiple experiments. Complementary QTL and eQTL mapping studies were also conducted in an Australian doubled haploid (DH) population for flowering time and other grain yield related traits. We show that several associations that were repeatedly detected across experiments map in the vicinity ofFLOWERING LOCUS T(FT) paralogues and its known transcriptional regulators. QTL mapping study in a DH population detected consistent genomic regions close toFTparalogs.FTsequences vary between accessions andFTexpression in field and controlled environment grown plants was correlated with flowering time.FTparalogs displayed association not only with flowering time, but also with plant emergence, shoot biomass and grain yield. Our findings suggest thatFTparalogs not only modulate flowering time but also modulate yield-related productivity traits in canola.HighlightThe genetic association, eQTL and expression analyses suggest thatFTparalogs have multifaceted roles in canola flowering time, plant development and productivity traits.