QTL × environment interactions underlie adaptive divergence in switchgrass across a large latitudinal gradient

Lowry, David, Michigan State University, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8182-1059

Lovell, John, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology

Zhang, Li, The University of Texas at Austin

Bonnette, Jason, The University of Texas at Austin

Fay, Philip, Grassland, Soil and Water Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture

Mitchell, Robert, Wheat, Sorghum, and Forage Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture

Lloyd-Reilley, John, Kika de la Garza Plant Materials Center, National Resources Conservation Service

Boe, Arvid, South Dakota State University

Wu, Yanqi, Oklahoma State University

Rouquette, Francis, Texas A&M University

Wynia, Richard, Plant Materials Center, National Resources Conservation Service, US Department of Agriculture

Weng, Xiaoyu, The University of Texas at Austin

Behrman, Kathrine, The University of Texas at Austin

Healey, Adam, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology

Barry, Kerrie, Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute

Lipzen, Anna, Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute

Bauer, Diane, Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute

Sharma, Aditi, Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute

Jenkins, Jerry, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology

Schmutz, Jeremy, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8062-9172

Fritschi, Felix B., University of Missouri, Columbia

Juenger, Thomas E., The University of Texas at Arlington

davidbryantlowry@gmail.com

Published Aug 17, 2020 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h70rxwdgj

Cite this dataset

Lowry, David et al. (2020). QTL × environment interactions underlie adaptive divergence in switchgrass across a large latitudinal gradient [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h70rxwdgj

Abstract

Local adaptation is the process by which natural selection drives adaptive phenotypic divergence across environmental gradients. Theory suggests that local adaptation results from genetic trade-offs at individual genetic loci, where adaptation to one set of environmental conditions results in a cost to fitness in alternative environments. However, the degree to which there are costs associated with local adaptation is poorly understood because most of these experiments rely on two-site reciprocal transplant experiments. Here, we quantify the benefits and costs of locally adaptive loci across 17° of latitude in a four-grandparent outbred mapping population in outcrossing switchgrass (Panicum virgatumL.), an emerging biofuel crop and dominant tallgrass species. We conducted quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping across 10 sites, ranging from Texas to South Dakota. This analysis revealed that beneficial biomass (fitness) QTL generally incur minimal costs when transplanted to other field sites distributed over a large climatic gradient over the 2 y of our study. Therefore, locally advantageous alleles could potentially be combined across multiple loci through breeding to create high-yielding regionally adapted cultivars.

Methods

This is the phenotype and genotype files for the quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping that was conducted in the study. The input files are formatted for anlysis in the program Genstat (VSN International, Genstat for Windows (VSN International, Hemel Hempstead, UK, ed. 19, 2017)), which is how they were analyzed in our study.

Funding

Office of Biological and Environmental Research, Award: DE-FC02-07ER64494

Office of Biological and Environmental Research, Award: DE-SC0014156

Office of Biological and Environmental Research, Award: DE-SC0017883

Office of Biological and Environmental Research, Award: DE-SC0018409

Division of Integrative Organismal Systems, Award: IOS-1444533

Division of Integrative Organismal Systems, Award: IOS-0922457

Office of Science, Award: DE-AC02-05CH11231