Rice Heat Tolerance Breeding: A Comprehensive Review and Forward Gaze
Ravindran Lalithambika Visakh,
Sreekumar Anand,
Sukumaran Nair Arya,
Behera Sasmita,
Uday Chand Jha,
Rameswar Prasad Sah,
Radha Beena
Affiliations
Ravindran Lalithambika Visakh
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala Agricultural University, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695522, India
Sreekumar Anand
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala Agricultural University, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695522, India
Sukumaran Nair Arya
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala Agricultural University, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695522, India
Behera Sasmita
Crop Improvement Division, Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, Odisha 7530006, India
Uday Chand Jha
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Indian Institute of Pulse Research, Kanpur 208024, India
Rameswar Prasad Sah
Crop Improvement Division, Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, Odisha 7530006, India; Corresponding authors.
Radha Beena
Department of Plant Physiology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala Agricultural University, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695522, India; Corresponding authors.
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.
