Bayesian hierarchical regression models for detecting QTLs in plant experiments

Abstract

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping is a growing field in statistical genetics. In plants, QTL detection experiments often feature replicates or clones within a specific genetic line. In this work, a Bayesian hierarchical regression model is applied to simulated QTL data and to a dataset from the Arabidopsis thaliana plants for locating the QTL mapping associated with cotyledon opening. A conditional model search strategy based on Bayesian model averaging is utilized to reduce the computational burden.

Keywords:

• hierarchical models
• Bayesian statistics
• quantitative trait loci
• Bayesian model averaging
• recombinant inbred Lines