Genome-wide association study in common bean under iron deficiency

2024-6-03
Çelik, Selime
Common bean is one of the most important legume crops in the world. Its production and yield are highly affected by iron deficiency in the soil. Despite its significance, there is a gap in the literature regarding the genetic mechanisms underlying iron deficiency tolerance in common beans. This thesis aims to fill this gap by evaluating the root and above-ground characteristics of a pool of common bean accessions under iron deficiency conditions and identifying significant genetic markers linked to iron deficiency tolerance. In this study, 133 common bean landraces and 3 commercial cultivars from 19 provinces in Türkiye were grown in hydroponic systems under iron-deficient conditions for 13 days. Various root and above-ground traits were measured to assess the impact of iron deficiency. Using the GAPIT package in R Studio, these phenotypic data were associated with genotypic data obtained from 7900 DArT-seq markers. Through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), seven significant markers were identified significantly associated with FCR activity, root fresh weight, and total root area. Then, several potential candidate genes near these markers were identified and subsequent gene ontology analysis was done. Besides, five of the most tolerant and five of the most sensitive common bean accessions were identified, therefore, this study offers a foundation for developing more resilient common bean cultivars, which could significantly enhance productivity in iron-deficient soils.
Citation Formats
S. Çelik, “Genome-wide association study in common bean under iron deficiency,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2024.