What are the advantages of Association mapping over QTL mapping?
Association mapping is a recent concept used in phenotype marker association based on Linkage Disequilibrium (LD) existing in a natural population while QTL mapping involves linkage of marker with trait in a segregating population. In tree species with long gestation period, generation of segregating populations with contrasting phenotypes is time-consuming, hence association mapping on candidate genes can be an alternate approach where an unstructured population can be used. Here the marker is present very close to the candidate gene (in kilobasepairs) or within the candidate gene as SNPs reducing the number of segregating generations for validation.
