| Summary: | Because it is rich in antioxidant compounds, the staple food of rice provides many health benefits. Four antioxidant traits in rice grain, <i>viz.</i>, catalase, CUPRAC, DPPH, FRAP and peroxidase, were mapped in a representative panel population containing 117 germplasm lines using 131 SSR markers through association mapping. Donor lines rich in multiple antioxidant properties were identified from the mapping population. The population was classified into three genetic groups and each group showed reasonable correspondence with the antioxidant traits. The presence of linkage disequilibrium in the population was confirmed from the estimated Fst values. A strong positive correlation of DPPH was established with TPC, FRAP and CUPRAC. A moderate to high mean gene diversity was observed in the panel population. Eleven significant marker-trait associations for antioxidant traits were mapped, namely, <i>qACD2.1</i>, <i>qACD11.1</i> and <i>qACD12.2</i> for DPPH; <i>qCAT8.1</i> and <i>qCAT11.1</i> for catalase; <i>qFRAP11.1, qFRAP12.1</i> and <i>qFRAP12.2</i> for FRAP; and <i>qCUPRAC3.1</i>, <i>qCUPRAC11.1</i> and <i>qCUPRA12.1</i> regulating CUPRAC. Co-localization of the QTLs for <i>qACD11.1, qFRAP11.1</i> and <i>qCUPRAC11.1</i> were detected, which may act as antioxidant hotspots regulating DPPH, FRAP and CUPRAC activities, respectively, while <i>qACD12.2</i> and <i>qFRAP12.1</i> remained close on the chromosome 12. These detected QTLs will be useful in antioxidant improvement programs in rice.
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