Genome-wide association study reveals that GmJAZ8 is involved in the germination of soybean seeds

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is one of the major oil and economic crops for human beings. Seed germination is a critical stage in soybean's growth cycle and plays a crucial role in determining soybean yield, yet only few genes controlling the rate of seed germination have been characterized in soybean. Here, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and identified a quantitative trait locus (QTL) for the rate of seed germination on chromosome 8. By using transcriptomic analysis, cross-species homology alignment, and haplotype-based selection analysis, we identified GmJAZ8 (Glyma.08G096500) as a key candidate gene regulating soybean's germination rate. We further confirmed that GmJAZ8 accelerated the rate of seed germination by regulating the transcriptional levels of genes involved in abscisic acid and gibberellin signaling. Thus GmJAZ8 might be useful for improving the rate of seed germination in breeding soybean.