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Acta Agronomica Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (6): 1558-1568.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1006.2025.44166

• CROP GENETICS & BREEDING · GERMPLASM RESOURCES · MOLECULAR GENETICS • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Genome-wide association analysis and candidate genes prediction of flowering time and maturity date traits in soybean (Glycine max L.)

WANG Qiong1, ZOU Dan-Xia1, CHEN Xing-Yun1, ZHANG Wei1, ZHANG Hong-Mei1, LIU Xiao-Qing1, JIA Qian-Ru1,WEI Li-Bin2,CUI Xiao-Yan1,CEHN Xin1,WANG Xue-Jun2,*, CEHN Hua-Tao1,*   

  1. 1 Institute of Industrial Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, Jiangsu, China; 2 Jiangsu Yanjiang Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Nantong 226541, Jiangsu, China
  • Received:2024-09-29 Revised:2025-03-26 Accepted:2025-03-26 Online:2025-06-12 Published:2025-04-07
  • Supported by:
    This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20220740), the Key Research and Development Program of Jiangsu Province (BE2022328), and the Jiangsu Seed Industry Revitalization “Unveiling and Commanding” Project (JBGS[2021]057).

Abstract:

Soybean is a typical short-day crop that is highly sensitive to photoperiod, with its cultivation and yield constrained by field photoperiodic conditions. In this study, we analyzed the flowering time and pod maturity date in 264 diverse soybean accessions. We examined the relationships between flowering-related traits and key agronomic traits, including protein content (PC), oil content (OC), 100-seed weight (HSW), and plant height (PH). A genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified 235 loci associated with flowering time and pod maturity date. Additionally, we predicted 14 candidate genes involved in the regulation of these traits, including 10 genes related to flowering time and 5 genes associated with pod maturity date. Notably, one gene exhibited pleiotropic effects on both traits. These findings provide valuable genomic insights into the regulatory pathways of flowering in soybean and offer a foundation for genetic improvement aimed at enhancing soybean adaptation across broader latitudinal regions.

Key words: soybean, flowering time, maturity date, GWAS, SNP markers

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