Triticeae Genomics and Genetics, 2024, Vol.15, No.2, 88-99 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/lgg 88 Research Report Open Access Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) Mapping in Wheat: Success Stories and Lessons Learned Jinghuan Zhu Institute of Crop and Nuclear Technology Utilization, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: zhujh@zaas.ac.cn Triticeae Genomics and Genetics, 2024, Vol.15, No.2 doi: 10.5376/tgg.2024.15.0009 Received: 15 Feb., 2024 Accepted: 20 Mar., 2024 Published: 30 Mar., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Zhu, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Zhu J.H., 2024, Quantitative Trait loci (QTL) mapping in wheat: success stories and lessons learned, Triticeae Genomics and Genetics, 15(2): 88-99 (doi: 10.5376/tgg.2024.15.0009) Abstract Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) mapping has revolutionized the field of wheat genetics and breeding, enabling the identification of genomic regions associated with key agronomic traits. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the advancements and achievements in QTL mapping for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), discussing successful cases and lessons learned, with a particular focus on its applications in improving grain yield, quality, and stress resistance. The study delves into methodological advancements, including traditional methods and modern technologies such as high-resolution genetic mapping, advanced statistical methods, and multi-parent cross designs. These advancements have significantly enhanced the precision and accuracy of QTL detection. It also addresses the challenges encountered in QTL mapping, such as environmental interactions and genetic background effects, and introduces strategies to overcome these obstacles, including integrated approaches and the use of high-density maps. Future directions for QTL mapping are explored, emphasizing the integration with genomic selection, improving precision and efficiency through new technologies, and applying these methods to other crops. QTL mapping has profoundly impacted wheat breeding programs, providing tools and insights that facilitate the development of high-yielding, high-quality, and stress-resistant wheat varieties. These findings underscore the importance of continued research and technological integration in advancing global food security and agricultural sustainability. Keywords Wheat; Quantitative trait loci (QTL); Genetic mapping; Grain quality; Yield potential 1 Introducion Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) mapping is a pivotal tool in the field of plant genetics and breeding, particularly for complex traits influenced by multiple genes and environmental factors. QTL mapping facilitates the identification of genomic regions associated with specific phenotypic traits, enabling breeders to improve crop performance through marker-assisted selection. In wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), QTL mapping has been instrumental in enhancing various agronomic traits such as yield, disease resistance, drought tolerance, and grain quality (Hu et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2022; Xu et al., 2023). As one of the world's most important staple crops, wheat's genetic improvement is crucial for ensuring food security and meeting the demands of a growing global population. The advancements in QTL mapping technologies have significantly accelerated the pace of genetic discoveries and breeding programs, making it a cornerstone of modern wheat breeding strategies (Su et al., 2018). Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of QTL mapping in wheat. For instance, high-density genetic maps have been constructed to identify QTLs for quality traits such as grain protein content, grain hardness, and starch pasting properties, with significant phenotypic variance explained (PVE) by these QTLs (Li et al., 2021). Comparative genomics and meta-QTL analysis have further refined these QTLs, reducing confidence intervals and identifying stable QTLs across different genetic backgrounds (Shariatipour et al., 2021). Additionally, QTL mapping under specific stress conditions, such as salt stress, has revealed key genomic regions contributing to stress tolerance, which are crucial for breeding resilient wheat varieties (Ilyas et al., 2019). This study aims to integrate and synthesize successful cases and lessons learned from QTL mapping studies in wheat, providing a comprehensive summary of key QTL identified for yield potential, quality traits, and stress resistance. The research will explore the latest advancements in QTL mapping technologies, including the use of
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