Identification of slope genes that differ from intercept genes
The genetic basis of SOC variation in B. napus has been deciphered through genome- and transcriptome-wide association studies, leading to the identification of numerous genomic regions and/or genes associated with this trait (Tang et al., 2021). In our study, we identified the same set of significant genomic regions when using intercept as the phenotype. Notably, when we used slope as the phenotype and conducted GWAS, we discovered five genes homologous to theArabidopsis genes MYB106 , MIPS3 , HAD ,DGD1 and PSD1 known to be involved in oil metabolism. Moreover, these genes interact with the identified environmental indices and exhibits dynamic effects in response to changes in these indices. The findings highlight the complex interplay between genes and the environment and offer new insights into the genetic basis of SOC variation from the perspective of phenotypic plasticity.