Identification and characterization of stable QTLs for vascular bundle number at the panicle neck in rice ( L.).

A large vascular bundle number (VBN) in the panicle neck in rice ( L.) is related to the ability to transport assimilates from stem and leaf to reproductive organs during seed maturation. Several quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for VBN have been identified by using segregating populations derived from a cross between and rice cultivars.