Starch accumulates in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) endosperm in large (type
A) and small (type B) granules. The sizes, shapes and relative proportions
of A and B granules may affect the quality of barley malt for brewing. The
objective of this study was to use genetic markers to map quantitative trai
t loci (QTL) affecting starch granule traits in a cross between a malting b
arley cultivar, Morex, and a feed barley cultivar, Steptoe. Data on starch
granule dimensions were obtained using digital image analysis. With simple
interval mapping, a region of chromosome 2 (2H) was found to contain QTL af
fecting the overall mean granule volume, the proportion of A granules, the
mean volume of A granules, the mean maximum diameter of A granules and the
mean F-shape of B granules. This region also affected days to heading and p
lant height, but contained no QTL for grain or malt quality traits. With co
mposite interval mapping, QTL affecting starch granule traits were detected
in two additional regions, one on chromosome 4 (4H) affecting the mean F-s
hape of B granules and one on chromosome 7 (5H) affecting the mean maximum
diameter of A granules. (C) 1999 Academic Press.