A single-environment QTL analysis of flavor-related volatile compounds in a sweetpotato mapping population
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, 214 Kilgore Hall, Box 7609, Raleigh, NC 27695 USA
- 2Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 USA
- 3Food Science and Market Quality and Handling Research Unit, USDA-ARS, 322 Schaub Hall, Box 7624, Raleigh, NC 27695-7624 USA
- 4Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA
- 5Department of Horticultural Science, Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, NC USA
Abstract
Flavor is an important trait influencing consumer preference for sweetpotato, yet little is known about the genetic mechanisms controlling the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may contribute to the flavor of cooked storage roots. In this study, a biparental mapping population consisting of 362 genotypes was used to perform the first genetic study of VOCs in cooked sweetpotato. VOC identification was carried out using headspace solid-phase microextraction and 2-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry. In total, 176 VOCs were analyzed, including 27 compounds which were previously identified as predictors of different flavor attributes in sweetpotato, and 14 compounds whose identities remain unknown. A high-density phased genetic linkage map including 14,367 single nucleotide polymorphism markers was used for quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping. A total of 85 QTLs were identified, including 2 monoterpenes and 2 apocarotenoids that have been associated with a “cooked carrot” flavor in sweetpotato. No QTLs were observed for VOCs important in the prediction of “sweetpotato” and “caramel” flavor attributes, suggesting that variation in their precursor substrates or other interacting factors may contribute to these traits. Because the population was evaluated in a single environment, multi-environment validation is required to establish QTL stability before marker development. The identified QTLs nevertheless provide a foundation for future validation and genetic improvement of sweetpotato flavor.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-026-03810-w.
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BibTeX
@article{abugu2026singleenvironment,
title = {{A single-environment QTL analysis of flavor-related volatile compounds in a sweetpotato mapping population}},
author = {Modesta Abugu and Gabriel De Siqueira Gesteira and Suzanne Johanningsmeier and Marcelo Mollinari and Bode Olukolu and Kenneth V. Pecota and Massimo Iorizzo and G. Craig Yencho},
journal = {Euphytica},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1007/s10681-026-03810-w},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-026-03810-w},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A single-environment QTL analysis of flavor-related volatile compounds in a sweetpotato mapping population
AU - Modesta Abugu
AU - Gabriel De Siqueira Gesteira
AU - Suzanne Johanningsmeier
AU - Marcelo Mollinari
AU - Bode Olukolu
AU - Kenneth V. Pecota
AU - Massimo Iorizzo
AU - G. Craig Yencho
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/03
JO - Euphytica
DO - 10.1007/s10681-026-03810-w
UR - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-026-03810-w
AB - Flavor is an important trait influencing consumer preference for sweetpotato, yet little is known about the genetic mechanisms controlling the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may contribute to the flavor of cooked storage roots. In this study, a biparental mapping population consisting of 362 genotypes was used to perform the first genetic study of VOCs in cooked sweetpotato. VOC identification was carried out using headspace solid-phase microextraction and 2-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry. In total, 176 VOCs were analyzed, including 27 compounds which were previously identified as predictors of different flavor attributes in sweetpotato, and 14 compounds whose identities remain unknown. A high-density phased genetic linkage map including 14,367 single nucleotide polymorphism markers was used for quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping. A total of 85 QTLs were identified, including 2 monoterpenes and 2 apocarotenoids that have been associated with a “cooked carrot” flavor in sweetpotato. No QTLs were observed for VOCs important in the prediction of “sweetpotato” and “caramel” flavor attributes, suggesting that variation in their precursor substrates or other interacting factors may contribute to these traits. Because the population was evaluated in a single environment, multi-environment validation is required to establish QTL stability before marker development. The identified QTLs nevertheless provide a foundation for future validation and genetic improvement of sweetpotato flavor. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-026-03810-w.
SN - 0014-2336
SN - 1573-5060
ER -