ARS | Publication request: Preliminary Mapping of the Western Corn Rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) Genome and Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) Interval Mapping for Growth

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: February 15, 2009
Publication Date: April 7, 2009
Citation: Oswald, K., Bagley, M., French, B.W., Nielson, C.N. 2009. Preliminary Mapping of the Western Corn Rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) Genome and Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) Interval Mapping for Growth. IWGO Meeting, Munich, Germany, April 5-8, 2009.

Technical Abstract: Preliminary investigations into the organization of the western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera; WCR) genome have resulted in low to moderate density gender-specific maps constructed from progeny of a backcrossed, short-diapause WCR family. Maps were based upon variation at microsatellite and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) loci. Total numbers of linkage groups recovered for each map corresponded very closely with counts of chromosome number within WCR as assessed by independently-performed karyotype analyses. Total map distances varied between sexes, but male map size was very similar to size reported for a closely-related beetle species with a similar number of chromosomes. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) interval mapping for growth on isoline and genetically modified Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn was performed for each map, with growth displaying strong correlations to specific genomic regions. Based upon these results, implications for current Bt corn management will be discussed.