The Candidate Genes Underlying a Stably Expressed QTL for Low Temperature Germinability in Rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Among the 11 QTLs identified in this study, qLTG_sRDP2-10a could also be detected in other three studies using different germplasm under different cold environments. Its large effect and stable expression make qLTG_sRDP2-10a particularly valuable in rice breeding. The two genes, LOC_Os10g22484 and LOC_Os10g22520, were considered as the candidate genes underlying qLTG_sRDP2-10a. Our results suggest that integrating GWAS and SSSL can facilitate identification of QTL for complex traits in rice. The identification of qLTG_sRDP2-10a and its candidate genes provide a promising source for gene cloning of LTG and molecular breeding for LTG in rice.