A combined BSA-Seq and linkage mapping approach identifies genomic regions associated with Phytophthora root and crown rot resistance in squash

Abstract Phytophthora root and crown rot, caused by the soilborne oomycete pathogen Phytophthora capsici, leads to severe yield losses in squash (Cucurbita pepo). To identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) involved in resistance to this disease, we crossed a partially resistant squash breeding line with a susceptible zucchini cultivar and evaluated over 13,000 F2 seedlings in a greenhouse screen. Bulked segregant analysis with whole genome resequencing (BSA-Seq) resulted in the identification of five genomic regions – on chromosomes 4, 5, 8, 12, and 16 – featuring significant allele frequency differentiation between susceptible and resistant bulks in each of two independent replicates. In addition, we conducted linkage mapping using a population of 176 F3 families derived from individually genotyped F2 individuals. Variation in disease severity among these families was best explained by a four-QTL model, comprising the same loci identified via BSA-Seq on chromosomes 4, 5, and 8 as well as an additional locus on chromosome 19, for a combined total of six QTL identified between both methods. Loci, whether those identified by BSA-Seq or linkage mapping, were of small to moderate effect, collectively accounting for 28-35% and individually for 2-10% of the phenotypic variance explained. However, a multiple linear regression model using one marker in each BSA-Seq QTL could predict F2:3 disease severity with only a slight drop in cross-validation accuracy compared to genomic prediction models using genome-wide markers. These results suggest that marker-assisted selection could be a suitable approach for improving Phytophthora crown and root rot resistance in squash.