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Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) is a devastating fungal disease that causes severe yield losses of soybean worldwide. In the present study, a representative population of 185 soybean accessions was selected and utilized to identify the quantitative trait nucleotide (QTN) of partial resistance to soybean SSR via a genome-wide association study (GWAS). A total of 22,048 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with minor allele frequencies (MAF) > 5% and missing data < 3% were used to assess linkage disequilibrium (LD) levels. Association signals associated with SSR partial resistance were identified by two models, including compressed mixed linear model (CMLM) and multi-locus random-SNP-effect mixed linear model (mrMLM). Finally, seven QTNs with major effects (a known locus and six novel loci) via CMLM and nine novel QTNs with minor effects via mrMLM were detected in relation to partial resistance to SSR, respectively. One of all the novel loci (Gm05:14834789 on Chr.05), which was co-located by these two methods, might be a stable one that showed high significance in SSR partial resistance. Additionally, a total of 71 major and 85 minor candidate genes located in the 200-kb genomic region of each peak SNP detected by CMLM and mrMLM were found, respectively. By using a gene-based association, a total of six SNPs from three major effects genes and eight SNPs from four minor effects genes were identified. Of them, Glyma.18G012200 has been characterized as a significant element in controlling fungal disease in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) is a disease of soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr] that causes severe yield losses. We studied 185 representative soybean accessions to evaluate partial SSR resistance and sequenced these by the specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing method. In total, 22,048 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), with minor allele frequencies (MAF) ≥5% and missing data <3%, were developed and applied to genome-wide association study of SSR responsiveness and assess linkage disequilibrium (LD) level for candidate gene selection. We identified 18 association signals related to SSR partial resistance. Among them, six overlapped the regions of previous quantitative trait loci, and twelve were novel. We identified 243 candidate genes located in the 200 kb genomic region of these peak SNPs. Based on quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and haplotype analysis, Glyma.03G196000 and Glyma.20G095100 , encoding pentatricopeptide repeat proteins, might be important factors in the resistance response of soybean to SSR. • Sclerotinia stem rot is a destructive disease, causing severe soybean yield losses • 18 loci associated with partial resistance to SSR were identified based on GWAS • Beneficial alleles and genes might be helpful to analyze SSR genetic resistance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]