Abstract Detail

Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Evo-Devo)

Baker, Robert (Rob) L. [1], Leong, Wen Fung [2], An, Nan [2], Welch, Stephen [2], Weinig, Cynthia [3].

Function valued trait mapping: Bayesian modeling of leaf development reveals novel genetic controls for leaf size and shape and genotype by environment interactions for plant fitness.

We examined the morphological development of leaves throughout ontogeny in recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of Brassica rapa. RILs were grown in crowded and uncrowded conditions over multiple years in an agro-ecologically relevant field setting. We generated Bayesian models of leaf development and use parameters of these models as traits in quantitative-genetic analyses that explore both plastic responses in leaf development and bivariate correlations with leaf-level physiology, remote-sensing phenotypes (as measured by spectroradiometric readings), circadian rhythms, and fitness. To examine the genetic architecture of plasticity, model parameters describing leaf development were mapped using a high-density linkage map. Our work highlights the importance of an ontogentic approach for understanding the genetic and environmental components of leaf development, because different QTL underlie growth rate, the duration of growth, and estimates of final leaf size. Extracting model parameters allowed us to identify independent genetic modules for linear estimates of leaf growth and allometric changes in leaf shape. Furthermore, we demonstrate that leaf development itself is under selection, and utilize model parameters to predict developmental phenotypes given QTL marker genotypes.

1 - University of Wyoming, Botany, 1000 E. University Ave, Laraie, WY, 82070, USA
2 - Kansas State University, Agronomy, 2104 Throckmorton Ctr., Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
3 - University of Wyoming, Botany, 1000 E. University Ave, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA

Keywords:
Allometry
Brassica rapa
Function Valued Traits
growth modeling
leaf growth
modularity
quantiative genetics
QTL mapping.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics
Session: 26
Location: Hall B/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2015
Time: 9:30 AM
Number: 26007
Abstract ID:702
Candidate for Awards:None