Rice

Genetic analysis of seed-shattering genes in rice using an F3:4 population derived from an Oryza sativa x Oryza rufipogon cross

S. - J. Kwon, Yu, J., Park, Y. J., Son, J. - H., Kim, N. - S., and Lee, J. K., “Genetic analysis of seed-shattering genes in rice using an F3:4 population derived from an Oryza sativa x Oryza rufipogon cross”, vol. 14, pp. 1347-1361, 2015.

Seed shattering of wild plant species is thought to be an adaptive trait to facilitate seed dispersal. For rice breeding, seed shattering is an important trait for improving breeding strategies, particularly when developing lines use interspecific hybrids and introgression of genes from wild species. We developed F_3:4 recombinant inbred lines from an interspecific cross between Oryza sativa cv. Ilpoombyeo and Oryza rufipogon. In this study, we genetically analyzed known shattering-related loci using the F_3:4 population of O.

A comparative study of stress-related gene expression under single stress and intercross stress in rice

Y. P. Zhang, E, Z. G., Jiang, H., Wang, L., Zhou, J., and Zhu, D. F., “A comparative study of stress-related gene expression under single stress and intercross stress in rice”, vol. 14, pp. 3702-3717, 2015.

Plant hormones play important roles in the crosstalk between biotic and abiotic stresses in rice throughout its entire growth period. However, these interactions are not completely understood. In this study, the physiological performance of rice seedlings under a single stress and a sequential combination of various stresses (intercross stress) was determined. We found that catalase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase activities and malondialdehyde were highly regulated by intercross stresses.

Establishment of a prediction model for the miRNA-based heading date characteristics of rice in the booting stage

Y. C. Chen, Lin, W. S., Chen, R. K., Chao, Y. Y., Chin, S. W., Chen, F. C., and Lee, C. Y., “Establishment of a prediction model for the miRNA-based heading date characteristics of rice in the booting stage”, vol. 14, pp. 4381-4390, 2015.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important food crops in the world. In Taiwan, due to the warm climate, there are two harvests annually. However, the yield and quality of rice can vary between each crop season in any given year. Previous reports have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in many developmental and physiological processes in plants. In this study, the heading date characteristics of 167 rice cultivars from the second crop season were recorded, and 27 rice cultivars were selected for preliminary microarray analysis.

QTLs for rice flag leaf traits in doubled haploid populations in different environments

J. Cai, Zhang, M., Guo, L. B., Li, X. M., Bao, J. S., and Ma, L. Y., “QTLs for rice flag leaf traits in doubled haploid populations in different environments”, vol. 14, pp. 6786-6795, 2015.

Two rice doubled haploid (DH) populations derived from the crosses of ZYQ8/JX17 and CJ06/TN1 were used to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for flag leaf length (FLL), width (FLW), and angle (FLA) under long-day conditions in Hangzhou (subtropical zone) and short-day conditions in Hainan (tropical zone), China. The four parents differed significantly in all 3 traits. FLL was found to be positively correlated with FLW in the 2 populations. A total of 30 QTLs were identified for flag leaf traits, with a contribution to the phenotypic variation of each QTL from 4.49 to 26.30%.

Ion beam transformation with corn DNA alters proteinase expression in rice seedling roots

W. C. Li, Ji, S. D., Wang, X. C., Li, Z. K., Zhang, H. C., Tian, C. Z., Liu, Y. L., and Duan, C. X., “Ion beam transformation with corn DNA alters proteinase expression in rice seedling roots”, vol. 14, pp. 7258-7266, 2015.

Corn DNA was introduced into dry seeds of rice (cv. ‘YuJing-6’) by ion beam irradiation. Proteinase activities in rice seedling roots were subsequently analyzed by renaturation electrophoresis at pH 4.5, 7.0, and 8.5. Proteinase activity was more pronounced on gels at higher pH. Irradiation of rice seedling roots caused the loss of some proteinase bands at all pH conditions although a novel 50-kDa band was found at both pH 7.0 and 8.5. No new proteinase activity was detected at pH 4.5. However, novel bands and bands showing stronger activity were observed at pH 7.0 and 8.5.

Roles of the bZIP gene family in rice

Z. G. E, Zhang, Y. P., Zhou, J. H., and Wang, L., “Roles of the bZIP gene family in rice”, vol. 13. pp. 3025-3036, 2014.

The basic leucine zipper (bZIP) genes encode transcription factors involved in the regulation of various biological processes. Similar to WRKY, basic helix-loop-helix, and several other groups of proteins, the bZIP proteins form a superfamily of transcription factors that mediate plant stress responses. In this review, we present the roles of bZIP proteins in multiple biological processes that include pathogen defense; responses to abiotic stresses; seed development and germination; senescence; and responses to salicylic, jasmonic, and abscisic acids in rice.

Comprehensive gene expression analysis of the DNA (cytosine-5) methyltransferase family in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

F. Ahmad, Huang, X., Lan, H. X., Huma, T., Bao, Y. M., Huang, J., and Zhang, H. S., “Comprehensive gene expression analysis of the DNA (cytosine-5) methyltransferase family in rice (Oryza sativa L.)”, vol. 13, pp. 5159-5172, 2014.

Cytosine DNA methylation is a conserved epigenetic regulatory mechanism in both plants and animals. DNA methyltransferases (DNA MTases) not only initiate (de novo) but also maintain the process of DNA methylation. Here, we characterized the genome-wide expression profiles of 10 cytosine DNA MTase genes belonging to 4 subfamilies, MET1, CMT, DNMT2, and DRM, in rice.

Identification of quantitative trait loci conferring blast resistance in Bodao, a japonica rice landrace

J. Huan, Bao, Y. M., Wu, Y. Y., Zeng, G. Y., He, W. W., Dang, L. L., Wang, J. F., and Zhang, H. S., “Identification of quantitative trait loci conferring blast resistance in Bodao, a japonica rice landrace”, vol. 13, pp. 9756-9765, 2014.

Bodao, a japonica landrace from the Taihu Lake region of China, is highly resistant to most Chinese isolates of Magnaporthe oryzea, a form of rice blast. To effectively dissect the influence of genetics on this blast resistance, a population of 155 recombinant inbred lines (F_2:8) derived from a cross of Bodao x Suyunuo was inoculated with 12 blast isolates. Using a quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping approach, 13 QTL on chromosomes 1, 2, 9, 11, and 12 were detected from Bodao.

QTL analysis of percentage of grains with chalkiness in Japonica rice (Oryza sativa)

X. Liu, Wang, Y., and Wang, S. W., “QTL analysis of percentage of grains with chalkiness in Japonica rice (Oryza sativa)”, vol. 11, pp. 717-724, 2012.

Appearance quality of rice grains is a major problem for rice production in many areas of the world. We conducted a molecular marker-based genetic analysis of percentage of grains with chalkiness (PGWC), which is a determining factor for appearance quality; it strongly affects milling, eating and cooking quality. An F₈ recombinant inbred line population, which consists of 261 lines derived from a cross between Koshihikari (Japonica) and C602 (Japonica), was used for QTL mapping.

Identification of quantitative trait loci for blast resistance in BC2F3 and BC2F5 advanced backcross families of rice

H. A. Rahim, Bhuiyan, M. A. R., Lim, L. S., Sabu, K. K., Saad, A., Azhar, M., and Wickneswari, R., “Identification of quantitative trait loci for blast resistance in BC2F3 and BC2F5 advanced backcross families of rice”, vol. 11, pp. 3277-3289, 2012.

Advanced backcross families derived from Oryza sativa cv MR219/O. rufipogon IRGC105491 were utilized for identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for blast resistance using simple sequence repeat markers. Two hundred and sixty-one BC₂F₃ families were used to construct a linkage map, using 87 markers, which covered 2375.2 cM of 12 rice chromosomes, with a mean density of 27.3 cM. The families were evaluated in a greenhouse for resistance to blast disease caused by pathotypes P7.2 and P5.0 of Magnaporthe oryzae.