Analysis of Genetic Variation in Pre-Harvest Sprouting at Different Cumulative Temperatures after Heading of Rice

Abstract

Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) refers to seed germination during ripening, due to loss of dormancy before harvest. As PHS in rice causes decrease in grain yield and quality, tolerance to PHS is an important trait of Japonica cultivars in Korea. It is important to investigate the related genes and environmental factors, because PHS is a quantitative trait. In this study, we examined PHS rates at three different times according to the cumulative daily mean temperature after heading (CTAH) for 5 rice cultivars released in Korea for 5 years from 2013 to 2017 to determine the effect of environmental factors on PHS. ABA content in ripening spikelets was analyzed to understand how it was related to PHS tolerance. PHS rate increased as CTAH increased from 800°C to 1200°C. PHS rate was significantly different (p < 0.001) among the cultivars, showing Dasanbyeo, Jounbyeo, and Nampyeongbyeo to be PHS-tolerant, and Jopyeongbyeo and Gopumbyeo to be susceptible at all the CTAH of 800, 1000, and 1200°C. In 2015 and 2016, PHS rates were relatively higher, because of high temperature and frequent rainfall during the ripening period. In each cultivar, ABA content decreased as CTAH increased from 800°C to 1200°C. However, there was no significant correlation between ABA content and PHS tolerance among the cultivars.