QTL ANALYSIS OF AN ADVANCED BACKCROSS OF LYCOPERSICON-PERUVIANUM TO THE CULTIVATED TOMATO AND COMPARISONS WITH QTLS FOUND IN OTHER WILD-SPECIES

A BC3 population previously developed from a backcross of Lycopersicon peruvianum, a wild relative of tomato, into the cultivated variety L. esculentum was analyzed for QTLs. Approximately 200 BC4 families were scored for 35 traits in four locations worldwide. One hundred and six ty-six QTLs were detected for 29 of those traits. For more than half o f those 29 traits at least 1 QTL was detected for which the presence o f the wild allele was associated with an agronomically beneficial effe ct despite the inferior phenotype of the wild parent. Eight QTLs for f ruit weight could be followed through the BC2, BC3, and BC4, generatio ns, supporting the authenticity of these QTLs. Comparisons were made b etween the QTLs found in this study and those found in studies involvi ng two other wild species; the results showed that while some of these QTLs can be presumed to be allelic, most of the QTLs detected in this study are ones not previously discovered.