Homoeologous loci control the accumulation of seed glucosinolates in oilseed rape (Brassica napus)

The genetic control of seed glucosinolate content in oilseed rape was investigated using two intervarietal backcross populations. Four QTLs segregating in the population derived from a Brassica napus L.'Victor' × Brassica napus L.'Tapidor' cross, together accounting for 76% of the phenotypic variation, were mapped. Three of these loci also appeared to control the accumulation of seed glucosinolates in a Brassica napus L. 'Bienvenu' × 'Tapidor' cross, and accounted for 86% of the phenotypic variation. The three QTLs common to both populations mapped to homoeologous regions of the B. napus genome, suggesting that seed glucosinolate accumulation is controlled by duplicate genes. It was possible to extend the comparative analysis of QTLs controlling seed glucosinolate accumulation by aligning the published genetic maps generated by several research groups. This comparative mapping demonstrated that high-glucosinolate varieties often carry low-glucosinolate alleles at one or more of the loci controlling seed glucosinolate accumulation.Key words: backcross, comparative mapping, genetic linkage map, marker-assisted breeding, QTL.