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One of the newest methods in plant breeding programs is mapping quantitative trait loci (QTL) with molecular markers. In order to identify QTL associated with some chemical traits such as chlorine, nicotine, sugar concentrations and ash in oriental tobacco, a population of 55 recombinant inbred lines coming from the cross Basma seres 31 × SPT406 were evaluated for above mentioned traits. QTL mapping was performed using linkage map developed on 103 recombinant inbred lines by 64 molecular markers including 14 SSR, 24 ISSR and 26 retrotransposone. The linkage map is composed of 7 linkage groups (LGs). Composite interval mapping revealed 5 QTLs associated with studied traits. Phenotypic variation explained by identified QTLs varied between 0.34 and 0.70. Any QTL was not detected for sugar concentration in tobacco leaves. Common markers between some of studied traits can be due to linkage or pleiotropic effects. The common markers lead to increase the efficiency of marker-assisted selection in plant breeding programs via simultaneously selection for several traits.

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Basal stem rot caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary is one of the most important diseases of sunflower. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) implicated in partial resistance to two isolates of S. sclerotiorum (SSU107 and SSKH41) were investigated using F₉ recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from the cross between sunflower parental lines PAC2 and RHA266. Experiments were conducted in completely randomized design with 3-6 replications under controlled conditions. The reaction of genotypes to basal stem rot disease was evaluated by measuring the percentage of necrosis area three days after inoculation. Combined analysis of experiments showed significant interactions between sunflower genotypes and S. sclerotiorum isolates suggesting that partial resistance to S. sclerotiorum should be isolate-specific in sunflower. QTLs were mapped using an updated high-density SSR and SNP linkage map. The map consisted of 210 SSRs and 11 gene-derived markers placed in 17 linkage groups (LGs). The total map length was 1,653.1 cM with a mean density of 1 marker per 7.44 cM. A total of 14 QTLs were detected for partial resistance to two isolates. The phenotypic variance explained by QTLs (R²) ranged from 0.10 to 9.85. The sign of additive gene effects showed that favorable alleles for partial resistance to isolates came from both parents. Six QTLs were common between two isolates on LGs 1, 8 and 17, whereas the others were specific for each isolate. Co-localized QTLs on LG 1 were linked to the glutathione S-transferase gene (GST). The co-localized QTLs for partial resistance to basal stem rot isolates could be good candidates for marker assisted selection (MAS).