CLUSTERED PRIMARY BRANCH 1, a new allele of DWARF11, controls panicle architecture and seed size in rice

Panicle architecture and seed size are important agronomic traits that directly determine grain yield in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Although a number of key genes controlling panicle architecture and seed size have been cloned and characterized in recent years, their genetic and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we identified a mutant that produced panicles with fascicled primary branching and reduced seeds in size. We isolated the underlying CLUSTERED PRIMARY BRANCH 1 (CPB1) gene, a new allele of DWARF11 (D11) encoding a cytochrome P450 protein involved in brassinosteroid (BR) biosynthesis pathway. Genetic transformation experiments confirmed that a His360Leu amino acid substitution residing in the highly conserved region of CPB1/D11 was responsible for the panicle architecture and seed size changes in the cpb1 mutants. Overexpression of CPB1/D11 under the background of cpb1 mutant not only rescued normal panicle architecture and plant height, but also had a larger leaf angle and seed size than the controls. Furthermore, the CPB1/D11 transgenic plants driven by panicle‐specific promoters can enlarge seed size and enhance grain yield without affecting other favourable agronomic traits. These results demonstrated that the specific mutation in CPB1/D11 influenced development of panicle architecture and seed size, and manipulation of CPB1/D11 expression using the panicle‐specific promoter could be used to increase seed size, leading to grain yield improvement in rice.     

云南水稻地方品种月亮谷的群体多样性分析

月亮谷是云南元阳梯田种植历史悠久、种植面积最大的优良水稻地方品种之一,当地少数民族具有引种或换种的稻作习惯。为揭示这种稻作习惯对月亮谷群体遗传多样性的影响,本研究对该品种群体内和群体间进行了遗传多样性的比较和分析,目的是为更好地了解月亮谷的群体遗传结构,为持久利用地方品种提供理论依据。首先采用分层随机取样的策略从元阳梯田不同海拔获得24个原位栽培群体,采用形态指数分类法和抗病性测定对24个群体共720个单株样品的月亮谷进行形态学分类和稻瘟病抗性鉴定,并分析了这些单株材料在48个SSR位点的遗传多样性。研究结果表明,形态上月亮谷属于栽培稻的籼稻类型,其群体对稻瘟病具中抗水平,但无论是在群体内还是群体间,均普遍表现出明显差异,说明不同来源的月亮谷存在抗病功能表型上的变异;遗传多样性分析显示,48对SSR引物共检测出91个多态位点,多态性位点百分率为77.08%,Nei多样性指数平均值为0.064,变幅为0~0.4302。24个群体之间的遗传相似系数在0.9753~0.9866之间,群体内个体之间的遗传相似系数在0.86~1.00之间;AMOVA分析显示,以地理村寨作为自然居群单位,居群间的变异为3.36%,居群内群体间的变异为33.15%,居群内的变异为63.49%;聚类分析显示,村寨群体间的遗传多样性与村寨间的地理空间距离有一定相关性。     

水稻粒簇生材料Cgr320的鉴定及遗传偏分离分析

籽粒簇生稻Cgr320为一类水稻突变材料,其性状表现为2~3朵颖花(籽粒)簇生在水稻主穗轴或枝梗顶部。为了进一步明确其簇生性状的遗传机制,本研究用Cgr320作父本分别与武运粳24和93-11配制了2个杂交组合,获得杂种F1、F2分离群体,对亲本、F1和F2群体的簇生性状进行了形态学观察和遗传连锁分析。结果表明,Cgr320其他农艺性状与普通栽培稻差异不显著。簇生性状在F1植株表现为野生型,在F2群体中出现严重偏离孟德尔(3∶1)遗传分离,卡方测验值X2(3∶1)为7.71和144.87。随机选取第1、2、3、4、5、6、7、8、9、10、11和12染色体上RM493、RM3762、RM1338、RM3217、RM249、RM20155、RM3325、RM22418、RM6797、RM1146、RM7557和RM27706等12对微卫星标记对武运粳24/Cgr320 22个F2隐性(簇生)单株进行遗传连锁分析,发现12个标记所扩增的22个F2隐性单株基因型都极显著偏向武运粳24,卡方检验值X2(1∶2∶1)大于X2(0.05,2)临界值5.991,控制cgr320簇生性状基因存在严重偏分离遗传,这种遗传现象必将误导我们判定控制籽粒簇生基因所在的连锁群。本研究结果将为水稻基因定位研究提供参考信息。     

Olfactory cues explain differential attraction of the striped rice stem borer to different varieties of rice plant

In Iranian rice fields, different varieties of rice are cultivated which are differentially impacted by females of the rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis. To elucidate the role odours may play in their host plant finding behaviour, female Ch. suppressalis were exposed to four varieties of rice plants and their volatiles in a four‐arm olfactometer. In whole plant tests, Ch. suppressalis were significantly attracted to the variety previously characterized as most susceptible, least attracted to one characterized as semisusceptible, and showed no attraction to those varieties characterized as semi‐ and highly resistant. Tests using headspace volatile extracts yielded similar results in the case of the most susceptible variety, but showed no attraction to the semisusceptible and highly resistant varieties, and low attraction to the semiresistant variety. Subsequent analysis of the volatile composition identified a panel of 27 components, some of which were either unique to, or abundantly present in, particular varieties, and may explain the observed variation in their attractiveness. Our findings show that rice plant volatiles can play a role in the host selection behaviour of this pest species, and we suggest compounds which may be important to this process and the future application of volatiles in rice pest management programs.     

江永普通野生稻遗传多样性和籼粳基因频率监测分析

以栽培稻的8个籼-粳测验种为对照,采用39对SSR引物检测了江永野生稻居群在1982年、2008年、2017年的遗传多样性,采用38对In Del引物检测了江永野生稻居群在1982年、2008年、2017年的籼-粳基因频率。结果表明:在1982年取样保存在异位圃的40份样本的遗传多样性稍高于2008年、2017年原位保护区样本的遗传多样性;2008年取的样本数虽然比2017年多,但两次取的样本之间遗传多样性几乎没差异。不同年份取的样本之间的遗传分化系数Fst都很小,基因流Nm都较大,分化不明显。通过聚类分析和主坐标分析(PCo A),发现野生稻居群与4份栽培粳稻聚为一类,4份栽培籼稻单独聚成一类,显示江永野生稻与粳稻的血缘近于籼稻;籼-粳基因频率的分析表明,野生稻样本多属粳稻型,少数属偏粳稻型,原位保护区的偏粳稻类型单株数占取样单株总数的比例,2008年比1982年的增加了10.0%,2017年比2008年的增加了1.6%,显示江永野生稻原位保护区生境条件有利野生稻从粳稻型向偏粳稻型变异,随着野生稻产生环境适应性变异,籼型基因频率在提高。     

The OsmiR396–OsGRF8–OsF3H‐flavonoid pathway mediates resistance to the brown planthopper in rice (Oryza sativa)

Multi‐functional microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as key modulators of plant–pathogen interactions. Although the involvement of some miRNAs in plant–insect interactions has been revealed, the underlying mechanisms are still elusive. The brown planthopper (BPH) is the most notorious rice (Oryza sativa)‐specific insect that causes severe yield losses each year and requires urgent biological control. To reveal the miRNAs involved in rice–BPH interactions, we performed miRNA sequencing and identified BPH‐responsive OsmiR396. Sequestering OsmiR396 by overexpressing target mimicry (MIM396) in three genetic backgrounds indicated that OsmiR396 negatively regulated BPH resistance. Overexpression of one BPH‐responsive target gene of OsmiR396, growth regulating factor 8 (OsGRF8), showed resistance to BPH. Furthermore, the flavonoid contents increased in both the OsmiR396‐sequestered and the OsGRF8 overexpressing plants. By analysing 39 natural rice varieties, the elevated flavonoid contents were found to correlate with enhanced BPH resistance. Artificial applications of flavonoids to wild type (WT) plants also increased resistance to BPH. A BPH‐responsive flavanone 3‐hydroxylase (OsF3H) gene in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway was proved to be directly regulated by OsGRF8. A genetic functional analysis of OsF3H revealed its positive role in mediating both the flavonoid contents and BPH resistance. And analysis of the genetic correlation between OsmiR396 and OsF3H showed that down‐regulation of OsF3H complemented the BPH resistance characteristic and simultaneously decreased the flavonoid contents of the MIM396 plants. Thus, we revealed a new BPH resistance mechanism mediated by the OsmiR396–OsGRF8–OsF3H–flavonoid pathway. Our study suggests potential applications of miRNAs in BPH resistance breeding.     

A metabolome‐based core hybridisation strategy for the prediction of rice grain weight across environments

Marker‐based prediction holds great promise for improving current plant and animal breeding efficiencies. However, the predictabilities of complex traits are always severely affected by negative factors, including distant relatedness, environmental discrepancies, unknown population structures, and indeterminate numbers of predictive variables. In this study, we utilised two independent F₁ hybrid populations in the years 2012 and 2015 to predict rice thousand grain weight (TGW) using parental untargeted metabolite profiles with a partial least squares regression method. A stable predictive model for TGW was built based on hybrids from the population in 2012 (r = 0.75) but failed to properly predict TGW for hybrids from the population in 2015 (r = 0.27). After integrating hybrids from both populations into the training set, the TGW of hybrids could be predicted but was largely dependent on population structures. Then, core hybrids from each population were determined by principal component analysis and the TGW of hybrids in both environments were successfully predicted (r > 0.60). Moreover, adjusting the population structures and numbers of predictive analytes increased TGW predictability for hybrids in 2015 (r = 0.72). Our study demonstrates that the TGW of F₁ hybrids across environments can be accurately predicted based on parental untargeted metabolite profiles with a core hybridisation strategy in rice. Metabolic biomarkers identified from early developmental stage tissues, which are grown under experimental conditions, may represent a workable approach towards the robust prediction of major agronomic traits for climate‐adaptive varieties.     

Basal and Foliar Treatment using an Organic Fertilizer Amendment Lowers Cadmium Availability in Soil and Cadmium Uptake by Rice on Field Micro-Plot Experiment Planted in Contaminated Acidic Paddy Soil

In the present study, field micro-plot experiments were conducted to investigate the basal and foliar application of a tested organic fertilizer amendment (OFA) for decreasing the risk of Cd accumulating in rice. The results showed that applications of OFA significantly increased rice yields in Cd-polluted soil and reduced the level of Cd in rice plants, especially in rice grain. In addition, three application methods of OFA were investigated (single basal application (B1, B2, and B3), combined basal application (+LM, +D, and +Z), and foliar application (F1, F2)). Treat B, F, +LM, +D were all higher than control on rice yield with 25.03, 28.05, 30.61, 22.50 g pot^?1 on average, respectively. Among which, rice cadmium depress to 0.33 mg kg^?1 in foliar application is considered to be a more efficient and economical method of heavy metal remediation. The mechanism of foliar application to alleviate the accumulation of Cd in brown rice may be related to the probable Cd sequestration in the leaves and straws. And the doses of the foliar application were 2.25–3.75 kg hm^?2, approximately 1.0–2.5% of the basal application amount yet with more effect (0.10 mg kg^?1 more than single basal; 0.23 mg kg^?1 more than combined basal) on Cd reduction.