Improving Rice Quality by Regulating the Heading Dates of Rice Varieties without Yield Penalties
Jianguo Liu,
Qinqin Yi,
Guojun Dong,
Yuyu Chen,
Longbiao Guo,
Zhenyu Gao,
Li Zhu,
Deyong Ren,
Qiang Zhang,
Qing Li,
Jingyong Li,
Qiangming Liu,
Guangheng Zhang,
Qian Qian,
Lan Shen
Affiliations
Jianguo Liu
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 311401, China
Qinqin Yi
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 311401, China
Guojun Dong
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 311401, China
Yuyu Chen
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 311401, China
Longbiao Guo
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 311401, China
Zhenyu Gao
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 311401, China
Li Zhu
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 311401, China
Deyong Ren
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 311401, China
Qiang Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 311401, China
Qing Li
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 311401, China
Jingyong Li
Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chongqing 401329, China
Qiangming Liu
Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chongqing 401329, China
Guangheng Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 311401, China
Qian Qian
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 311401, China
Lan Shen
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 311401, China
The heading date, a critical trait influencing the rice yield and quality, has always been a hot topic in breeding research. Appropriately delaying the flowering time of excellent northern rice varieties is of great significance for improving yields and enhancing regional adaptability during the process for introducing varieties from north to south. In this study, genes influencing the heading date were identified through genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Using KenDao 12 (K12), an excellent cultivar from northern China, as the material, the specific flowering activator, OsMADS50, was edited using the genome-editing method to regulate the heading date to adapt to the southern planting environment. The results indicated that the osmads50 mutant line of K12 flowered about a week later, with a slight increase in the yield and good adaptability in the southern region in China. Additionally, the expressions of key flowering regulatory genes, such as Hd1, Ghd7, Ehd1, Hd3a, and RFT1, were reduced in the mutant plants, corroborating the delayed flowering phenotype. Yield trait analysis revealed that the primary factor for improved yield was an increase in the number of effective tillers, although there is potential for further enhancements in the seed-setting rate and grain plumpness. Furthermore, there were significant increases in the length-to-width ratio of the rice grains, fat content, and seed transparency, all contributing to an overall improvement in the rice quality. In summary, this study successfully obtained a rice variety with a delayed growth period through OsMADS50 gene editing, effectively implementing the strategy for adapting northern rice varieties to southern climates. This achievement significantly supports efforts to enhance the rice yield and quality as well as to optimize production management practices.
