Fine mapping of Msv1, a major QTL for resistance to Maize Streak Virus leads to development of production markers for breeding pipelines

Sudha K. Nair, Raman Babu, Cosmos Magorokosho, George Mahuku, Kassa Semagn, Yoseph Beyene, Biswanath Das, Dan Makumbi, P. Lava Kumar, Michael Olsen, Prasanna M. Boddupalli

Msv1 , the major QTL for MSV resistance was delimited to an interval of 0.87 cM on chromosome 1 at 87 Mb and production markers with high prediction accuracy were developed. Maize streak virus (MSV) disease is a devastating disease in the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), which causes significant yield loss in maize. Resistance to MSV has previously been mapped to a major QTL (Msv1) on chromosome 1 that is germplasm and environment independent and to several minor loci elsewhere in the genome. In this study, Msv1 was fine-mapped through QTL isogenic recombinant strategy using a large F 2 population of CML206 × CML312 to an interval of 0.87 cM on chromosome 1. Genome-wide association study was conducted in the DTMA (Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa)-Association mapping panel with 278 tropical/sub-tropical breeding lines from CIMMYT using the high-density genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) markers. This study identified 19 SNPs in the region between 82 and 93 Mb on chromosome 1(B73 RefGen_V2) at a P < 1.00E-04, which coincided with the fine-mapped region of Msv1. Haplotype trend regression identified a haplotype block significantly associated with response to MSV. Three SNPs in this haplotype block at 87 Mb on chromosome 1 had an accuracy of 0.94 in predicting the disease reaction in a collection of breeding lines with known responses to MSV infection. In two biparental populations, selection for resistant Msv1 haplotype demonstrated a reduction of 1.03-1.39 units on a rating scale of 1-5, compared to the susceptible haplotype. High-throughput KASP assays have been developed for these three SNPs to enable routine marker screening in the breeding pipeline for MSV resistance.