Influencing combustion quality in Miscanthus sinensis Anderss.: identification of QTLs for calcium, phosphorus and sulphur content

Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses for combustion‐related traits including calcium, phosphorus and sulphur content have been carried out using two years of field trial data. Nine putative QTLs were detected using the Multiple QTL Model approach and the programme MapQTL 4.0. Two QTLs were found for calcium, two for sulphur and five for phosphorus. Out of the QTLs for phosphorus, P1 is probably the same locus as P3, and P2 as P4, although their confidence intervals do not agree. Ca1 was also consistently detected. These results may constitute the first step in developing a Marker‐Assisted Selection programme in Miscanthus for combustion‐related traits.