The biomass production (BP), the leaf age (LA), and the plant height (PH) as well as the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with these traits were determined for F2:3 population derived from the cross of two contrasting maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes: 082 and Ye107. By using composite interval mapping, a total of 12 and 12 distinct QTLs were identified at Kaixian and Southwest University under deficient phosphorus. Another 9 and 8 distinct QTLs were identified at two sites under normal phosphorus, respectively. Seven coincident QTLs for two traits (BP and LA) were detected in the interval bnlg1832-P2M8/j (bin 1.05) on Chromosome 1, and four consistent QTLs for one trait (PH) were coincident in the interval umc1102-P1M7/d (bin 3.05) on Chromosome 3. These coincident QTLs in two important genomic regions were identified under different phosphorus levels and two different environments. Therefore, the above two segments one (bnlg1832-P2M8/j) identified in Chromosome 1 and the other (umc1102-P1M7/d) identified in Chromosome 3 may be used in future for marker-assisted selection and high-resolution mapping leading to map-based cloning of QTLs for agronomically important traits under phosphorus deficiency.
