The genetic basis of extra-lobed leaves in ivyleaf morning glory (Ipomoea hederacea)

Extra-lobed leaf forms in ivyleaf morning glory (Ipomoea hederacea) are linked to a complex, multi-locus genetic architecture rather than a single-locus switch, with multiple QTLs implicated.

• Why it matters: While entire-margin versus 3-lobed leaves are known to be controlled by one locus and differ ecologically, the genetic basis of rarer 1–2 extra-lobed leaves was unknown.
• What they did: The study compared F2 leaf-shape phenotypic distributions to Mendelian expectations for a single-locus model and used bulked segregant analysis to map quantitative trait loci.
• The result: The data suggest multiple QTLs underlying extra-lobed leaves, including candidate genes potentially involved in auxin distribution and leaf development, though physiology and ecology of these forms remain untested.

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