QTL mapping, whole genome resequencing, and marker‐assisted selection provide basics of early flowering in pumpkin

Finding the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and uncovering the genes controlling early flowering in pumpkin are the basic needs to select appropriate varieties for cultivation. Two QTLs related to first female flowering node (FFFN) and four QTLs related to first male flowering node (FMFN) were detected based on high-density genetic map of pumpkin. Based on annotation information, two candidate genes, flowering locus T-like protein (FLT) associated with FFFN on chr10 and flowering locus T-like 2 (FLT2) associated with FMFN on chr11, were identified which were the homologues of flowering time switching gene, flowering Locus T (FT), in different crops. Seven different insertion-deletions (InDels) in promoter regions of FLT and FLT2 were identified by the analysis of wholegenome resequencing data of parental lines. Our results suggested that FLT and FLT2 are candidate genes for controlling FFFN and FMFN traits in pumpkin, respectively. Two insertion-deletion molecular markers were developed to distinguish the lower flowering node F-2 individuals. This research will provide the theoretical and practical basis for the selection and cultivation of early flowering pumpkin varieties.