Genetic Mapping of Hypernodulation in Soybean Mutant SS2-2

Hypernodulation soybean mutant, SS2-2, is characterized with greater nodulation and nitrogen fixing ability in the root nodule than its wild type, Shinpaldalkong 2. The present study was performed to identify a genetic locus conferring hypernodulation in soybean mutant SS2-2 and to determine whether the gene controlling the hypernodulation of SS2-2 is allelic to that controlling the supernodulation of nts382 mutant. Hybridization studies between SS2-2 and Taekwangkong revealed that the recessive gene was responsible for the hypernodulation character in soybean mutant SS2-2. Allelism was also tested by crossing supernodulating mutant nts382 and hypernodulating mutant SS2-2 that both hypernodulation and supernodulation genes were likely controlled by an identical locus. Molecular marker mapping of hypernodulation gene in SS2-2 using SSR markers confirmed that the gene conferring hypernodulation was located at the same loci with the gene conferring supernodulation. It is interesting to note that the same gene controlled the super- and hyper-nodulation characters, although SS2-2 and nts 382 exhibited differences in the amount of nodulation in the root system. Further genetic studies should be needed to clarify the genetic regulation of super- and hyper-nodulation in soybean.