Rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars tolerant to high temperature at flowering: anther characteristics

We examined the relationship between morphological characteristics of anthers and fertility in japonica rice cultivars subjected to high temperature (37.5(26 degrees C day/night) at flowering. Percentage fertility was negatively correlated with the number of cell layers that separated the anther locule from the lacuna that formed between the septum and the stomium. The cell layers consisted of the remaining septum and degraded tapetum, and serve to keep the adjacent two locules closed. Anther dehiscence therefore requires the rupture of the cell layers. We conclude that the tight closure of the locules by the cell layers delayed locule opening, and decreased fertility at high temperatures.     

两种温度下模拟氮沉降对陆稻与稗草竞争的影响

在昼/夜温度为35 ℃/25 ℃和30 ℃/20 ℃条件下,研究了模拟氮沉降对稗草和陆稻生长及竞争关系的影响.结果表明：35 ℃/25 ℃条件下,每年输入4 g·m^-2氮处理,稗草和陆稻地上部分生物量分别比对照增加29.18%和27.80％,稗草吸收氮和磷量分别增加87.33%和49.73%,而陆稻吸收氮和磷量无显著变化.在30 ℃/20 ℃条件下,每年输入2、4、6 g·m^-2氮处理后,稗草地上部分生物量分别比对照增加48.99％、72.68％和36.18％,分蘖数分别增加111.11％、122.22％和144.44％,稗草植株氮和磷吸收量分别增加108.88％、129.22%、134.29％和16.53％、65.05%、22.47%,而陆稻均无显著变化.在30 ℃/20 ℃条件下,氮沉降显著增加了稗草与陆稻地上部分生物量的比值,但在35 ℃/25 ℃条件下影响不显著.表明氮沉降增加可能会提高稗草而降低陆稻的竞争力,而且在温度较低的情况下,这种趋势更明显.     

Intergeneric somatic hybridization of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) by protoplast fusion

An intergeneric somatic hybrid was obtained upon fusion of protoplasts of rice and barley. Protoplasts isolated from suspension cultures of rice cells were fused by electrofusion with protoplasts that had been isolated from young barley leaves. Some of the resultant calli formed green spots and shoots. Only one shoot formed roots, and it was subsequently successfully transferred to soil in a greenhouse. Its morphology closely resembled that of the parental rice plant. Cytological analysis indicated that the plant had both small chromosomes from rice and large chromosomes from barley. Southern hybridization analysis with a fragment of the tryptophan B (trpB) gene revealed both a rice-specific band and a barley-specific band. Mitochondrial (mt) and chloroplast (cp) DNAs were also analyzed using the same method. The plant was shown to contain novel mitochondrial and chloroplast sequence rearrangements that were not detected in either of the parents. Received: 5 March 1997 / Revision received: 4 September 1997 / Accepted: 13 September 1997     

Correlation of cytokinin levels in the endosperms and roots with cell number and cell division activity during endosperm development in rice

Cell number and cell division activity in rice (Oryza sativa) endosperms are possibly regulated by cytokinin levels in the endosperm and its source in the roots. This study tried to find the possible correlations among them. Six rice genotypes were grown in nutrient solution. Two patterns of endosperm cell division, synchronous and asynchronous, were observed among the genotypes based on the cell division rate of superior and inferior spikelets. Contents of zeatin (Z) + zeatin riboside (ZR) were much higher than those of N6-isopentenyladenine (iP) and N6-isopentenyladenosine (iPR) in both endosperms and roots. Changes in Z + ZR levels in endosperms were significantly correlated with those in roots, and both were very significantly correlated with the cell division rate. Changes in iP + iPR contents in the roots were not significantly correlated with those in the endosperms and the cell division rate. When roots were treated with kinetin, endosperm cell number and grain weight were increased. Such enhancement was more significantly achieved by the root kinetin treatment than by spraying kinetin on leaves and panicles. The results suggest that the cell number and cell division activity in rice endosperms are regulated by cytokinin levels in the endosperm and that root-derived Z + ZR play a pivotal role.     

Characteristics of floral organs related to reliable self-pollination in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

In many varieties of rice, the length of basal pores on the thecae just after anthesis is strongly correlated both with the percentage of florets receiving adequate pollen and with the number of pollen grains deposited on the stigmata and its variation (coefficient of variation). Therefore, the size of the basal pores is considered to be an important factor for the reliable self-pollination of rice. We discuss how long basal pores may facilitate self- pollination.     

水稻籼粳亚种间杂种低温花粉不育的QTL分析

为探明籼粳杂种低温花粉不育的遗传基础,以籼稻品种3037和粳型广亲和品种02428的F2分离群体进行了低温花粉不育的遗传分析。推迟播种后,F2群体各单株孕穗期的日平均温度为21～23℃,调查了F2群体各单株的花粉育性。利用108对SSR引物构建了包含157个F2单株,覆盖12条染色体的分子标记连锁图谱。该连锁图的总长度为1857．8cM,标记间平均距离为16．26cM,标记较均匀地分布在12条染色体上。采用区间作图法对F2群体花粉不育进行QTL分析,共检测到2个低温花粉不育QTLS,即qLTSPS2和qLTSPS5,分别位于第2、5染色体,其加性效应分别为0．021、0．045,显性效应分别为-0．246、-0．251,显性度分别为11．7和4．8,具有超显性效应．超显性是QTL作用的主要方式,这2个位点杂合基因型在低温环境下具有降低花粉育性的作用,分别解释表型变异的15．6％、11．9％。另外,两因素的方差分析表明这两个QTL之间不存在互作。     

Role of abscisic acid in cadmium tolerance of rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings

Changes in abscisic acid (ABA) contents in Cd-treated rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings of two cultivars were investigated. On treatment with CdCl2, the ABA content rapidly increased in the leaves and roots of Cd-tolerant cultivar (cv. Tainung 67, TNG67) but not in the Cd-sensitive cultivar (cv. Taichung Native 1, TN1). The reduction of transpiration rate of TN1 caused by Cd was less than that of TNG67. Exogenous application of ABA reduced transpiration rate, decreased Cd content, and enhanced Cd tolerance of TN1 seedlings. Exogenous application of the ABA biosynthesis inhibitor, fluridone, reduced ABA accumulation, increased transpiration rate and Cd content, and decreased Cd tolerance of TNG67 seedlings. Fluridone effect on Cd toxicity of TNG67 seedlings was reversed by the application of ABA. The roles of endogenous ABA in Cd tolerance of rice seedlings are discussed and suggested.     

Diallel analysis of tiller number at different growth stages in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Summary The genetics of tiller number at different development stages in rice was studied in a 6 x 6 diallel cross set involving six indica rice varieties in which a large difference of phenotypes existed. Estimates of genetic parameters following Hayman's method showed significant additive and nonadditive gene action, and the latter appeared to be solely due to dominance. High tillering ability was inherited as a partial dominant character conditioned by two or more blocks of genes, and var H1459 had more dominant genes, whereas Zhu-Yun-Luo had more recessive ones. Combining ability analysis by Griffing's method also indicated significance of both additive and nonadditive effects, but the former was more important than the latter. H1459 and Bi-Yu-Zao-Luo were good general combiners, and their hybrids H1459 x Le-Yi and Zhu-Yun-Luo x Bi-Yu-Zao-Luo were better crosses for combining an optimum tiller number with high percentage of productive tiller. An identical polygenic system appeared to be responsible for the genetic control of both tiller number at the different growth stages and the terminal character, productive tiller number. However, with growth of the plant, relative contributions of nonadditive gene action and environmental factors to the variation decreased, while those of additive gene action increased. Selection for high tillering ability, therefore, should be exercised at peak tillering or later stages.     

不同环境下水稻谷粒重发育的杂种优势和遗传相关性分析

选用9个不同类型的水稻品种(系),按双列杂交设计(6×5)配成两套亲本和F12个世代的遗传材料,采用数量性状的加性、显性遗传模型、发育遗传模型比较分析了水稻谷粒重发育的杂种优势和遗传相关性。结果表明,早季在谷粒充实前期(1～12d)群体平均优势较小,中后期(13～28d)正向优势趋于明显,在谷粒充实的全过程均表现较小的负向群体超亲优势;晚季则在谷粒充实前中期(1～18d)表现正向群体平均优势。后期(19～28d)优势不明显,在谷粒充实前期(1～12d)表现正向群体超亲优势,之后转为明显的负向群体超亲优势,表明晚季谷粒发育的杂种优势表现较之早季更有利于提高籽粒充实质量,不同发育时期谷粒重之间以及与最终谷粒重之间的遗传相关分析表明,早季以显性相关为主,晚季以加性相关为主,随着发育进程的推进,相关趋于密切。     

Molecular cloning and structural analysis of a novel Rac gene osRACB in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Rac is a subfamily of small GTP-binding protein family. Its molecular weight is between 20 and 30 kilodaltons. As a signal protein, Rac directly or indirectly participates in many physiological processes, such as the regulation of cytoskeleton and the transduction of stress-induced signal. So Rac is also named ?molecular switch? The switch is based on the cycle from a GTP-bound 憃n?to a GDP-bound 憃ff?state[1]. In the superfamily of GTP-binding protein, only heterotrimeric G protein, Ra…     

Mapping QTLs for phosphorus deficiency tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

 The amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique combined with selective genotyping was used to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with tolerance for phosphorus (P) deficiency in rice. P deficiency tolerant cultivar IR20 was crossed to IR55178-3B-9-3 (sensitive to P-deficiency) and 285 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were produced by single-seed descent. The RILs were phenotyped for the trait by growing them in P-sufficient (10.0 mg/l) and P-deficient (0.5 mg/l) nutrient solution and determining their relative tillering ability at 28 days after seeding, and relative shoot dry weight and relative root dry weight at 42 days after seeding. Forty two of each of the extreme RILs (sensitive and tolerant) and the parents were subjected to AFLP analysis. A map consisting of 217 AFLP markers was constructed. Its length was 1371.8 cM with an average interval size of 7.62 cM. To assign linkage groups to chromosomes, 30 AFLP and 26 RFLP markers distributed over the 12 chromosomes were employed as anchor markers. Based on the constructed map, a major QTL for P-deficiency tolerance, designated PHO, was located on chromosome 12 and confirmed by RFLP markers RG9 and RG241 on the same chromosome. Several minor QTLs were mapped on chromosomes 1, 6, and 9. Received: 21 April 1998 / Accepted: 9 June 1998     

Genetic analysis and gene mapping of a new rolled-leaf mutant in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

To understand the development of rice leaf blades,we identified a new rolled-leaf mutant,w32,from indica cultivar IR64 through EMS mutagenesis. The mutant showed a stable rolled-leaf phenotype throughout the life cycle. Two F2 populations were developed by crossing w32 to cultivar IR24 and PA64. Genetic analysis showed that the rolled-leaf phenotype was controlled by a single recessive gene. To determine the location of the gene,bulked segregant analysis was carried out using mutant and wild-type DNA pools ...     

A low-temperature method for maintaining plant regeneration activity in embryogenic callus of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

 A method was developed to maintain plant regeneration activity of rice cells (Oryza sativa L.) using embryogenic callus. Calluses were cultured in suspension, then on solid medium, to form compact globular callus resistant to low-temperature stress and with high plant regeneration activity. Callus preserved at 5  °C for 5 months regenerated plants from protoplasts at a frequency higher than from non-preserved callus from cv. Nipponbare, and cv. Koshihikari, but at lower rates from cv. Akitakomachi. Similar results were obtained from protoplasts of the three cultivars. Callus preserved at 5  °C for 8 months incurred cell damage, yet some surviving cells divided in suspension culture and eventually regenerated whole plants. Preserved and non-preserved regenerated plants showed similar levels of somaclonal variation. Received: 7 January 1999 / Revision received: 28 April 1999 / Accepted: 26 May 1999     

QTLs for cell-membrane stability mapped in rice (Oryza sativa L.) under drought stress

Cell-membrane stability (CMS) is considered to be one of the major selection indices of drought tolerance in cereals. In order to determine which genomic region is responsible for CMS, 104 rice (Oryza sativa L.) doubled haploid (DH) lines derived from a cross between CT9993–5-10–1-M and IR62266-42–6-2 were studied in the greenhouse in a slowly developed drought stress environment. Drought stress was induced on 50-day-old plants by withholding water. The intensity of stress was assessed daily by visual scoring of leaf wilting and by measuring leaf relative water content (RWC). The leaf samples were collected from both control (well-watered) and stressed plants (at 60–65% of RWC), and the standard test for CMS was carried out in the laboratory. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in RWC between the two parental lines as well as among the 104 lines, indicating that all the plants were sampled at a uniform stress level. However, a significant difference (P<0.05) in CMS was observed between the two parental lines and among the population. No significant correlation was found between CMS and RWC, indicating that the variation in CMS was genotypic in nature. The continuous distribution of CMS and its broad-sense heritability (34%) indicates that CMS should be polygenic in nature. A linkage map of this population comprising of 145 RFLPs, 153 AFLPs and 17 microsatellite markers was used for QTL analysis. Composite interval mapping identified nine putative QTLs for CMS located on chromosomes 1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12. The amount of phenotypic variation that was explained by individual QTLs ranged from 13.4% to 42.1%. Four significant (P<0.05) pairs of digenic interactions between the detected QTLs for CMS were observed. The identification of QTLs for this important trait will be useful in breeding for the improvement of drought tolerance in rice. This is the first report of mapping QTLs associated with CMS under a natural water stress condition in any crop plants. Received: 8 September 1999 / Accepted: 13 October 1999     

水稻砷污染及其对砷的吸收和代谢机制

水稻是当今世界大部分地区(尤其是东南亚)的主要的粮食作物之一,同时也是砷(As)进入食物链的主要途径之一。日益严重的水稻田As污染,不但影响了稻米的产量和品质,而且通过食物链威胁着人体健康。如何减少水稻地上部(尤其是米粒)As的含量和降低其毒性,及提高水稻As耐性是亟需解决的世界食品安全问题。深入了解水稻对As的吸收、积累和代谢的生理及分子生物学机制是解决水稻As污染的关键途径。综述国内外研究,对今后深入研究提出建议。     

Genetic analysis and molecular mapping of a novel gene for zebra mutation in rice （Oryza sativa L.）

A novel zebra mutant, zebra-15, derived from the restorer line JinhuilO （Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica） treated by EMS, displayed a distinctive zebra leaf from seedling stage to jointing stage. Its chlorophyll content decreased （55.4%） and the ratio of Chla/Chlb increased （90.2%） significantly in the yellow part of the zebra-15, compared with the wild type. Net photosynthetic rate and fluorescence kinetic parameters showed that the decrease of chlorophyll content significantly influenced the photosynthetic efficiency of the mutant. Genetic analysis of F2 segregation populations derived from the cross of XinonglA and zebra-15 indicated that the zebra leaf trait is controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene. Ninety-eight out of four hundred and eighty pairs of SSR markers showed the diversity between the XinonglA and the zebra-15, their F2 population was then used for gene mapping. Zebra-15 （Z-15） gene was primarily restricted on the short arm of chromosome 5 by 150 F2 recessive individuals, 19.6 cM from marker RM3322 and 6.0 cM from marker RM6082. Thirty-six SSR markers were newly designed in the restricted location, and the Z-15 was finally located between markers nSSR516 and nSSR502 with the physical region 258 kb by using 1,054 F2 recessive individuals.     

The extent of parental genotypic divergence determines maximal heterosis by increasing fertility in inter-subspecific hybrids of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The magnitude of heterosis in F₁ hybrids is related not only to the performance of parents per se but also to the genetic diversity between two parents. The extent of genotypic divergence between hybrid rice parents was investigated at the molecular level, using two subsets of rice materials: a subset of doubled haploid (DH) lines derived from an Indica × Japonica cross (Gui630/02428) and another subset of Indica or Japonica lines representative of a broad spectrum of the Asian cultivated rice gene pool, including landraces, primitive cultivars, historically important cultivars, modern elite cultivars, super rice and parents of superior hybrids. 57 entries deliberately selected from the 81-DH lines (in total) were testcrossed to two widely used rice lines in China, photoperiod-sensitive genic male sterile (PGMS) N422s and thermo-sensitive genic male sterile (TGMS) Peiai64s. Results of the two sets of test-cross F₁ populations showed congruently that parental genotypic divergence has a relatively low impact on heterosis for the two yield components, i.e., panicle number and 1000-grain weight, but it has a great bearing on fertility parameters, i.e., filled grains per plant and seedset. Heterosis for grain yield in the two test-cross populations exhibited a sharp maximum when the proportion of Japonica alleles in the male parent was between 50 and 60%, so was the heterosis for fertility parameters correspondingly. Thus fertility parameters were the most sensitive and important factors which were influenced by the extent of parental genotypic divergence. Moreover, our results showed that parents with moderate extent of genotypic divergence played an important role in the use of inter-subspecific rice heterosis.     

A method for screening copper-tolerant rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars based on hydroponic experiments and cluster analysis

A method for screening copper (Cu)-tolerant rice cultivars was studied by combining hydroponic experiments and cluster analysis, and the classification of cultivars in Cu stress tolerance was done. In the first hydroponic experiment, seedlings of Jiahe991 and Xiushui114 were planted in nutrient solution with different Cu²⁺ concentrations from 10 to 1800 μg/L. Results indicated that the toxic threshold of Cu concentration in solution ranged from 900 to 1200 μg/L, since SPAD (Soil and Plant Analyzer Development, SPAD-502, a portable chlorophyll meter, Minolta Camera Co. Ltd., Japan) values of leaves and seedlings biomass of the treatments with ≥900 and/or 1200 µg/L were significantly lower than the control. The second experiment was conducted with 16 local rice cultivars under three Cu treatments (10, 1000, and 1500 μg/L). The 16 cultivars were well classified into tolerant, normal, and sensitive groups as a result of cluster analysis based on the relative SPAD (Soil and Plant Analyzer Development, SPAD-502, a portable chlorophyll meter, Minolta Camera Co. Ltd., Japan) value, shoot and root dry weights, root length and root dehydrogenase activity, and oxidizing capacity and shoot Cu concentration. Xiushui123, Xiushui134, Jiahe991, and Xianghu301 belonged to the tolerant group; Xiushui137 belonged to the sensitive group. The cluster analysis based on hydroponic experiments is an effective method for identifying rice cultivars that are tolerant to Cu stress. In addition, four cultivars (Xiushui123, Xiushui134, Jiahe991, and Xianghu301) are recommended in local practice.