Population Genetics and Genome-Wide Association Mapping of Chinese Populations of Foxtail Millet and Green Foxtail

Abstract

Green foxtail (Setaria viridis) and foxtail millet (Setaria italica) are new biological and genomic models for investigation of the biology of C4 photosynthesis and grass evolution. Green foxtail is the ancestor of foxtail millet, an ancient cereal of great importance in arid and semi-arid regions of the world, especially in China and India. To date, China has been recognized as the center of origin and improvement of foxtail millet, and over 80 % of the world’s Setaria accessions are conserved in the National Gene Bank of China. Assessment of germplasm samples collected in China can help to reveal the domestication history and potential for improvement of cultivated foxtail millet. Recently, the molecular diversity, genetic structure, eco-geographical distribution and selection history of foxtail millet cultivars has been revealed through large scale germplasm characterization, genomic analysis, and genome-wide association mapping of QTLs controlling agronomic traits. These achievements have laid the foundation for further exploration of functional genes controlling vital characters in Setaria and will be powerful tools for improved marker-assisted breeding of foxtail millet cultivars. In this chapter, recent studies on the Chinese Setaria gene pool will be discussed, as well as their potential for benefiting future genetic investigations in Setaria.