Discovery of Major Quantitative Trait Loci and Candidate Genes for Fresh Seed Dormancy in Groundnut

Spanish bunch groundnut varieties occupy most of the cultivated area in Asia and Africa, these lack required 2-3 weeks fresh seed dormancy (FSD) hampering kernel quality. Genomic breeding can help to improve commercial cultivars for FSD a shorter time with greater precision. In this regard, recombinant inbred line (RIL) population from cross ICGV 02266 (non-dormant) × 97045 (dormant) was developed genotyped 5 K mid-density genotyping assay. A linkage map constructed 325 SNP loci spanning total length 2335.3 cM five major QTLs were identified on chromosomes Ah01, Ah11, Ah06, Ah16 Ah17. Based differential gene expression using transcriptomic information dormant (Tifrunner) non-dormant (ICGV 91114) genotypes, histone deacetylases, histone-lysine N-methyltransferase, cytochrome P450, protein kinases, ethylene-responsive transcription factor as key regulators involved hormonal regulation dormancy. Six Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers successfully validated diverse panel including selected RILs same germplasm lines. These KASP could facilitate faster new desired marker-assisted early generation selection.