Identification of QTLs for aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) resistance in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) based on BSA-seq and analysis of candidate genes

Abstract Aphid infestation significantly reduces the yield and forage quality of sorghum, underscoring the urgent need to identify and develop aphid-resistant sorghum varieties. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) remains one of the most effective strategies for enhancing aphid resistance in sorghum. In...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Junli Du, Kunliang Zou, Qi Shen, Yang Liu, Minghui Guan, Tonghan Wang, Degong Wu, Lihua Wang, Yongfei Wang, Jieqin Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-08-01
Series:BMC Plant Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07028-1
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849330468581801984
author Junli Du
Kunliang Zou
Qi Shen
Yang Liu
Minghui Guan
Tonghan Wang
Degong Wu
Lihua Wang
Yongfei Wang
Jieqin Li
author_facet Junli Du
Kunliang Zou
Qi Shen
Yang Liu
Minghui Guan
Tonghan Wang
Degong Wu
Lihua Wang
Yongfei Wang
Jieqin Li
author_sort Junli Du
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Aphid infestation significantly reduces the yield and forage quality of sorghum, underscoring the urgent need to identify and develop aphid-resistant sorghum varieties. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) remains one of the most effective strategies for enhancing aphid resistance in sorghum. In this study, an F2 segregating population derived from a cross between the aphid-resistant variety IS23514 and the susceptible variety IS23992 was employed to map aphid resistance genes using bulked segregant analysis based on whole-genome resequencing (BSA-seq) and Insertion-Deletion (InDel) marker analysis. Genetic analysis indicated that aphid resistance in sorghum is governed by a dominant gene. A quantitative trait locus (QTL) associated with aphid resistance (qMsa-6) was identified within a 124 kb region on chromosome 6. Candidate gene prediction and protein domain analysis within this region revealed ten previously uncharacterized genes, seven of which possess NB-ARC domains. Subsequent qPCR analysis revealed that the SbiRTX2783.06G018400 gene is the most likely candidate conferring aphid resistance. This study offers critical molecular insights into the mechanisms underlying aphid resistance in sorghum and identifies key candidate genes for future aphid-resistant breeding programs.
format Article
id doaj-art-7d067eb5fc5d49e8a28d9938ef91363a
institution Kabale University
issn 1471-2229
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Plant Biology
spelling doaj-art-7d067eb5fc5d49e8a28d9938ef91363a2025-08-20T03:46:54ZengBMCBMC Plant Biology1471-22292025-08-0125111310.1186/s12870-025-07028-1Identification of QTLs for aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) resistance in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) based on BSA-seq and analysis of candidate genesJunli Du0Kunliang Zou1Qi Shen2Yang Liu3Minghui Guan4Tonghan Wang5Degong Wu6Lihua Wang7Yongfei Wang8Jieqin Li9College of Agriculture, Anhui Science and Technology UniversityCollege of Agriculture, Anhui Science and Technology UniversityCollege of Agriculture, Anhui Science and Technology UniversityCollege of Resources and Environment, Anhui Science and Technology UniversityCollege of Resources and Environment, Anhui Science and Technology UniversityCollege of Agriculture, Anhui Science and Technology UniversityCollege of Agriculture, Anhui Science and Technology UniversityCollege of Agriculture, Anhui Science and Technology UniversityCollege of Agriculture, Anhui Science and Technology UniversityCollege of Agriculture, Anhui Science and Technology UniversityAbstract Aphid infestation significantly reduces the yield and forage quality of sorghum, underscoring the urgent need to identify and develop aphid-resistant sorghum varieties. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) remains one of the most effective strategies for enhancing aphid resistance in sorghum. In this study, an F2 segregating population derived from a cross between the aphid-resistant variety IS23514 and the susceptible variety IS23992 was employed to map aphid resistance genes using bulked segregant analysis based on whole-genome resequencing (BSA-seq) and Insertion-Deletion (InDel) marker analysis. Genetic analysis indicated that aphid resistance in sorghum is governed by a dominant gene. A quantitative trait locus (QTL) associated with aphid resistance (qMsa-6) was identified within a 124 kb region on chromosome 6. Candidate gene prediction and protein domain analysis within this region revealed ten previously uncharacterized genes, seven of which possess NB-ARC domains. Subsequent qPCR analysis revealed that the SbiRTX2783.06G018400 gene is the most likely candidate conferring aphid resistance. This study offers critical molecular insights into the mechanisms underlying aphid resistance in sorghum and identifies key candidate genes for future aphid-resistant breeding programs.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07028-1Sorghum bicolorMelanaphis sacchariBSA-seqInDelQTL
spellingShingle Junli Du
Kunliang Zou
Qi Shen
Yang Liu
Minghui Guan
Tonghan Wang
Degong Wu
Lihua Wang
Yongfei Wang
Jieqin Li
Identification of QTLs for aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) resistance in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) based on BSA-seq and analysis of candidate genes
BMC Plant Biology
Sorghum bicolor
Melanaphis sacchari
BSA-seq
InDel
QTL
title Identification of QTLs for aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) resistance in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) based on BSA-seq and analysis of candidate genes
title_full Identification of QTLs for aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) resistance in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) based on BSA-seq and analysis of candidate genes
title_fullStr Identification of QTLs for aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) resistance in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) based on BSA-seq and analysis of candidate genes
title_full_unstemmed Identification of QTLs for aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) resistance in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) based on BSA-seq and analysis of candidate genes
title_short Identification of QTLs for aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) resistance in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) based on BSA-seq and analysis of candidate genes
title_sort identification of qtls for aphid melanaphis sacchari resistance in sorghum sorghum bicolor based on bsa seq and analysis of candidate genes
topic Sorghum bicolor
Melanaphis sacchari
BSA-seq
InDel
QTL
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07028-1
work_keys_str_mv AT junlidu identificationofqtlsforaphidmelanaphissacchariresistanceinsorghumsorghumbicolorbasedonbsaseqandanalysisofcandidategenes
AT kunliangzou identificationofqtlsforaphidmelanaphissacchariresistanceinsorghumsorghumbicolorbasedonbsaseqandanalysisofcandidategenes
AT qishen identificationofqtlsforaphidmelanaphissacchariresistanceinsorghumsorghumbicolorbasedonbsaseqandanalysisofcandidategenes
AT yangliu identificationofqtlsforaphidmelanaphissacchariresistanceinsorghumsorghumbicolorbasedonbsaseqandanalysisofcandidategenes
AT minghuiguan identificationofqtlsforaphidmelanaphissacchariresistanceinsorghumsorghumbicolorbasedonbsaseqandanalysisofcandidategenes
AT tonghanwang identificationofqtlsforaphidmelanaphissacchariresistanceinsorghumsorghumbicolorbasedonbsaseqandanalysisofcandidategenes
AT degongwu identificationofqtlsforaphidmelanaphissacchariresistanceinsorghumsorghumbicolorbasedonbsaseqandanalysisofcandidategenes
AT lihuawang identificationofqtlsforaphidmelanaphissacchariresistanceinsorghumsorghumbicolorbasedonbsaseqandanalysisofcandidategenes
AT yongfeiwang identificationofqtlsforaphidmelanaphissacchariresistanceinsorghumsorghumbicolorbasedonbsaseqandanalysisofcandidategenes
AT jieqinli identificationofqtlsforaphidmelanaphissacchariresistanceinsorghumsorghumbicolorbasedonbsaseqandanalysisofcandidategenes