Rice Science最新文献

The yield potential of rice is seriously affected by heat stress due to climate change. Since rice is a staple food globally, it is imperative to develop heat-resistant rice varieties. Thus, a thorough understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms underlying heat tolerance and the impact of high temperatures on various critical stages of the crop is needed. Adoption of both conventional and innovative breeding strategies offers a long-term advantage over other methods, such as agronomic practices, to counter heat stress. In this review, we summarize the effects of heat stress, regulatory pathways for heat tolerance, phenotyping strategies, and various breeding methods available for developing heat-tolerant rice. We offer perspectives and knowledge to guide future research endeavors aimed at enhancing the ability of rice to withstand heat stress and ultimately benefit humanity.

Tissue culture techniques were used to produce large amounts of bioactive compounds with medicinal potential, overcoming space and time constraints for cancer prevention. Rice callus suspension cultures (RCSC) and seed extracts prepared from aromatic rice varieties were used to evaluate the cytotoxic impact on human colon and lung cancer cell lines, as well as a normal control cell line, using Taxol as a positive control. RCSC and seed extracts from two Indian aromatic rice varieties were applied at different concentrations to treat the cancer cell lines and normal lung fibroblasts over varying time intervals. Apoptosis was assessed in 1:5 dilutions of the A549 and HT-29 cell lines treated with RCSC for 72 h, using propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry. RCSC showed a more potent cytotoxic effect than seed extracts with minimal effect on the normal cell line, in contrast to Taxol. Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry further confirmed the apoptotic effect of RCSC. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolic profiling identified metabolites involved in cytotoxicity and highlighted altered pathways. RCSC is proposed as an alternative source for the development of novel anticancer drugs with reduced side effects.

The sustainability of rice production continues to be a subject of uncertainty and inquiry attributed to shifts in climatic conditions. In light of the impending climate change crisis and the high labor and water costs accompanying it, direct-seeded rice (DSR) is unquestionably one of the most practical solutions. Despite its resource and climate-friendly advantages, early maturing rice faces weed competitiveness and seedling establishment challenges. Resolving these issues is crucial for promoting its wider adoption among farmers, presenting it as a more effective sustainable rice cultivation method globally. Diverse traditional and contemporary breeding methods are employed to mitigate the limitations of the DSR approach, leveraging advanced techniques such as speed breeding and genome editing. Focusing on key traits like mesocotyl length elongation, early seedling vigor, root system architecture, and weed competitiveness holds promise for transformative improvements in DSR adaptation at a broader scale within farming communities. This review aims to summarize how these features contribute to increased crop production in DSR conditions and explore the research efforts focusing on enhancing DSR adaptation through these traits. Emphasizing the pivotal role of these game-changing traits in DSR adaptation, our analysis sheds light on their potential transformative impact and offers valuable insights for advancing DSR practices.

Long-term storage of crop seeds is critical for the conservation of germplasm resources, ensuring food supply, and supporting sustainable production. Rice, as a major food staple, has a substantial stock for consumption and production worldwide. However, its food value and seed viability tend to decline during storage. Understanding the physiological responses and molecular mechanisms of aging tolerance forms the basis for enhancing seed storability in rice. This review outlines the latest progress in influential factors, evaluation methods, and identification indices of seed storability. It also discusses the physiological consequences, molecular mechanisms, and strategies for breeding aging-tolerant rice in detail. Finally, it highlights challenges in seed storability research that require future attention. This review offers a theoretical foundation and research direction for uncovering the mechanisms behind seed storability and breeding aging-tolerant rice.

Rice sheath blight, caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IA, is a major disease in rice-growing areas worldwide. Effectors of phytopathogenic fungi play important roles during the infection process of fungal pathogens onto their host plants. However, the molecular mechanisms by which R. solani effectors regulate rice immunity are not well understood. Through prediction, 78 candidate effector molecules were identified. Using the tobacco rattle virus-host induced gene silencing (TRV-HIGS) system, 45 RNAi constructs of effector genes were infiltrated into Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. The results revealed that eight of these constructs resulted in a significant reduction in necrosis caused by infection with the AG1-IA strain GD-118. Additionally, stable rice transformants carrying the double-stranded RNA construct for one of the effector genes, AGLIP1, were generated to further verify the function of this gene. The suppression of the AGLIP1 gene increased the resistance of both N. benthamiana and rice against GD-118, and also affected the growth rate of GD-118, indicating that AGLIP1 is a key pathogenic factor. Small RNA sequencing showed that the HIGS vectors were processed into siRNAs within the plants and then translocated to the fungi, leading to the silencing of the target genes. As a result, AGLIP1 might be an excellent candidate for HIGS, thereby enhancing crop resistance against the pathogen and contributing to the control of R. solani infection.