QTLs are associated with:
Quantitative Trait Loci are genomic regions contributing to continuously varying traits that show distribution overlapping between phenotypes rather than discrete classes. Traits like grain yield, plant height, days to flowering, oil content, and drought tolerance are governed by many genes of small effect plus environmental modification, producing normal bell curve distribution in segregating population. Each QTL explains proportion of phenotypic variance, detected via statistical linkage between marker genotype and trait mean in mapping populations such as F2, RILs, or DH using interval mapp
Ref: Lynch M & Walsh B Quantitative Genetics; Tanksley SD 1993 – Mapping polygenes continuous traits – QTL Genetics
