The search for quantitative trait loci affecting wool colour
G.W. MCKENZIE, A.P. MAHER, K.G. DODDS, A.E. BEATTIE, H.M. HENRY,
J.G.H. HICKFORD AND G.W. MONTGOMERY
Animal and Food Sciences Division, Lincoln University, P O Box
84, Lincoln, New Zealand
E-Mail:
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 2001. 61:
104-108
Farmers have been attempting to breed whiter wool for some time
using quantitative and subjective genetic selection based on phenotypic
traits. The improvement of wool colour using this form of selection has
achieved limited success. The advent of DNA marker maps has introduced
the possibility of more directly relating phenotypic and genetic
variation. Work presented here has identified a total of ten potential
quantitative trait loci (QTL) that are significant at the suggestive
level, and one additional QTL that approached this significance
threshold that influence wool colour. There have been five putative QTL
identified for base colour or challenge colour brightness. Two QTL
affecting challenge colour yellowness was identified, while three QTL
identified were linked to predictive colour variation. An additional QTL
that affected predictive colour has also been mapped to a non-specific
location on chromosome 24. Several further key areas of research need to
be addressed before the DNA markers can be developed for use in the
improvement of wool colour.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
wool colour; QTL; phenotypic variation
Last Updated 7/08/01
