| Title: | The presence or absence of the soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor as a quantitative trait locus for seed protein content |
| Authors: | Vollmann, J., Schausberger, H., Bistrich, H., Lelley, T. |
| Source: | Plant Breed. 2002, 121(3):272-274 |
| Abstract: | Numerous quantitative trait loci (QTL) for various characters have recently been reported in different crop plants. However, information is limited about the molecular mechanisms behind QTL, because most of them have only been detected at a statistical level. Therefore, progeny from a cross between two soybean genotypes segregating for the presence vs. absence of the Kunitz trypsin inhibitor, a 21.5 kDa protein, have been analysed for possible effects of that protein on agronomic and seed quality characters. Protein content was reduced by, on average, 4.5 g/kg in segregants lacking the Kunitz protein, whereas oil content and other characters remained unaffected. This finding can be interpreted as a 'model QTL' for variation in seed protein content, because the molecular and genetic backgrounds of the soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor are well understood. |