Molecular linkage map for an intraspecific recombinant inbred population of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum)

Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L, var. durum) is an economically and nutrit ionally important cereal crop in the Mediterranean region. To further our u nderstanding of durum genome organization we constructed a durum linkage ma p using restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs), simple sequence repeats (SSRs) known as Gatersleben wheat microsatellites (GWMs), amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs), and seed storage proteins (SSPs: gl iadins and glutenins). A population of 110 F-9 recombinant inbred lines (RI Ls) was derived from an intraspecific cross between two durum cultivars, Je nnah Khetifa and Cham 1. The two parents exhibit contrasting traits for res istance to biotic and abiotic stresses and for grain quality. In total, 306 markers have been placed on the linkage map 138 RFLPs, 26 SSRs, 134 AFLPs, five SSPs, and three known genes tone pyruvate decarboxylase and two lipox ygenases). The map is 3598 cM long, with an average distance between marker s of 11.8 cM, and 12.1% of the markers deviated significantly from the expe cted Mendelian ratio 1:1. The molecular markers were evenly distributed bet ween the A and B genomes. The chromosome with the most markers is 1B (41 ma rkers), followed by 3B and 7B, with 25 markers each. The chromosomes with t he fewest markers are 2A (11 markers), 5A (12 markers), and 4B (15 markers) . In general, there is a good agreement between the map obtained and the Tr iticeae linkage consensus maps. This intraspecific map provides a useful to ol for marker-assisted selection and map-based breeding for resistance to b iotic and abiotic stresses and for improvement of grain quality.