QTL mapping and candidate gene analysis of ferrous iron and zinc toxicity tolerance at seedling stage in rice by genome-wide association study.

Rice plants share partial genetic overlaps of Fe and Zn toxicity tolerance at seedling stage. Candidate genes putatively affecting Fe and Zn toxicity tolerance identified in this study provide valuable information for future functional characterization and improvement of rice tolerance to Fe and Zn toxicity by marker-assisted selection or designed QTL pyramiding.