Quantitative trait loci analysis of seed coat color components for selective breeding in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an annual grain legume, grown worldwide for human consumption with the potential to attract premium prices in markets such as India, Bangladesh and southern Asia. The ability to accurately select for seed coat color, an important export quality trait, would greatly benefit chickpea breeding programs. In order to determine the major genomic loci governing the color trait, the color components of CIE L* (luminance), CIE a* (red/green color) and CIE b* (blue/yellow color), C* (chroma or saturation of the color) and h (hue or purity of the color) were mapped, and associated molecular markers were identified. A linkage map was constructed with 80 SSR markers distributed over 10 linkage groups at an average marker density of 2.8 cM. Two major quantitative trait loci (QTL), which accounted for up to 36 and 49% of the genetic variance and several smaller genetic effects were determined to govern the color components. These were consistent across two differing environments. Once validated, the markers that are close to and flanking these QTL and significantly associated with the minor gene effects will be useful in future color selective breeding programs.