Background: Grain chalkiness is a highly undesirable trait deleterious to rice appearance and milling quality. The physiological and molecular foundation of chalkiness formation is still partially understood, because of the complex interactions between multiple genes and growing environments.Results: We report the untargeted metabolomic analysis of grains from a notched-belly mutant (DY1102) with high percentage of white-belly, which predominantly occurs in the bottom part proximal to the embryo. Metabolites in developing grains were profiled on the composite platforms of UPLC/MS/MS and GC/MS. Sampling times were 5, 10, 15, and 20 days after anthesis, the critical time points for chalkiness formation. A total of 214 metabolites were identified, covering most of the central metabolic pathways and partial secondary pathways including amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, cofactors, peptides, nucleotides, phytohormones, and secondary metabolites. A comparison of the bottom chalky part and the upper translucent part of developing grains of DY1102 resulted in 180 metabolites related to chalkiness formation.Conclusions: Generally, in comparison to the translucent upper part, the chalky endosperm had lower levels of metabolites regarding carbon and nitrogen metabolism for synthesis of storage starch and protein, which was accompanied by perturbation of pathways participating in scavenging of reactive oxygen species, osmorugulation, cell wall synthesis, and mineral ion homeostasis. Based on these results, metabolic mechanism of chalkiness formation is discussed, with the role of embryo highlighted.

A better understanding of the factors that contribute to the overall grain quality of rice (Oryza sativa) will lay the foundation for developing new breeding and selection strategies for combining high quality, with high yield. This is necessary to meet the growing global demand for high quality rice while offering producing countries additional opportunities for generating higher export revenues. Several recent developments in genetics, genomics, metabolomics and phenomics are enhancing our understanding of the pathways that determine several quality traits. New research strategies, as well as access to the draft of the rice genome, will not only advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that lead to quality rice but will also pave the way for efficient and targeted grain improvement.

The greater epithelial ridge (GER) is a developmental structure in the maturation of the organ of Corti. Situated near the inner hair cells of neonatal mice, the GER undergoes a wave of apoptosis after postnatal day 8 (P8). We evaluated the GER from P8 to P12 in transgenic mice that carry the R75W + mutation, a dominant-negative mutation of human gap junction protein, beta 2, 26 kDa (GJB2) (also known as connexin 26 or CX26). Cx26 facilitate intercellular communication within the mammalian auditory organ.

产量因子千粒重和稻米品质指标垩白粒率密切相关。本研究以越光/Kasalath//越光BIL群体为材料，分析千粒重和垩白粒率的相关性、QTL、上位性互作及其环境的互作效应。相关分析表明，群体千粒重和垩白粒率在2005年和2006年均呈极显著正相关，相关系数分别为0.42和0.35 (P<0.001)。2年共检测到千粒重QTL 11个，其中5个在2年重复检测到，5个具有环境互作效应；千粒重上位性互作8对，7对与环境存在互作。垩白粒率QTL 6个，3个具有环境互作效应；上位性互作9对，其中4对具有上位性环境互作效应。比较分析发现3个主效QTL同时控制千粒重和垩白粒率的表现，千粒重和垩白粒率的增效等位基因来自同一亲本；1对上位性互作同时对千粒重和垩白粒率有相同的影响。一些与垩白粒率不相关的千粒重主效QTL，如qTGW-3c、qTGW-4a和qTGW-6b，可为育种所利用。对利用QTL定位结果进行千粒重和垩白粒率分子辅助选择育种进行了探讨。

A novel QTL cluster for chalkiness on Chr04 was identified using single environment analysis and joint mapping across 9 environments in Asia and South American. QTL NILs showed that each had a significant effect on chalk. Chalk in rice grains leads to a significant loss in the proportion of marketable grains in a harvested crop, leading to a significant financial loss to rice farmers and traders. To identify the genetic basis of chalkiness, two sets of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from reciprocal crosses between Lemont and Teqing were used to find stable QTLs for chalkiness. The RILs were grown in seven locations in Asia and Latin American and in two controlled environments in phytotrons. A total of 32 (21) and 46 (22) QTLs for DEC and PGWC, most of them explaining more than 10% of phenotypic variation, were detected based on single environment analysis in T/L (L/T) population, respectively. Seven (2) and 7 (3) QTLs for DEC and PGWC were identified in the T/L (L/T) population using joined analysis across all environments, respectively. Six major QTLs clusters were found on five chromosomes: 1, 2, 4, 5 and 11. The biggest cluster at id4007289-RM252 on Chr04 was a novelty, including 16 and 4 QTLs detected by single environment analysis and joint mapping across all environments, respectively. The detected digenic epistatic QTLs explained up to 13% of phenotypic variation, suggesting that epistasis play an important role in the genetic control of chalkiness in rice. QTL NILs showed that each QTL cluster had a significant effect on chalk. These chromosomal regions could be targets for MAS, fine mapping and map-based cloning for low chalkiness breeding.

Grain chalkiness is a highly undesirable quality trait in the marketing and consumption of rice grain. However, the molecular basis of this trait is poorly understood. Here we show that a major quantitative trait locus (QTL), Chalk5, influences grain chalkiness, which also affects head rice yield and many other quality traits. Chalk5 encodes a vacuolar H(+)-translocating pyrophosphatase (V-PPase) with inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) hydrolysis and H(+)-translocation activity. Elevated expression of Chalk5 increases the chalkiness of the endosperm, putatively by disturbing the pH homeostasis of the endomembrane trafficking system in developing seeds, which affects the biogenesis of protein bodies and is coupled with a great increase in small vesicle-like structures, thus forming air spaces among endosperm storage substances and resulting in chalky grain. Our results indicate that two consensus nucleotide polymorphisms in the Chalk5 promoter in rice varieties might partly account for the differences in Chalk5 mRNA levels that contribute to natural variation in grain chalkiness.

Regulation of seed size is a key strategy for improving crop yield, and is also a basic biological question, but how plants determine their seed size remains elusive. Here we report that the GW2-WG1-OsbZIP47 regulatory module controls grain width and weight in rice. WG1, which encodes a glutaredoxin protein, promotes grain growth by increasing cell proliferation. WG1 interacts with the transcription factor OsbZIP47 and represses its transcriptional activity by associating with the transcriptional co-repressor ASP1, indicating that WG1 may act as adaptor protein to recruit the transcriptional co-repressor. OsbZIP47 restricts grain growth by decreasing cell proliferation. Further results reveal that the E3 ubiquitin ligase GW2 ubiquitinates WG1 and targets it for degradation. Genetic analyses support that GW2, WG1 and OsbZIP47 function in a common pathway to control grain growth. Thus, our findings reveal a genetic and molecular framework for the GW2-WG1-OsbZIP47 regulatory module-mediated control of grain size and weight, opening new perspectives for using this regulatory pathway for improvement of seed size and weight in crops.Copyright © 2021 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Copy number variants (CNVs) are associated with changes in gene expression levels and contribute to various adaptive traits. Here we show that a CNV at the Grain Length on Chromosome 7 (GL7) locus contributes to grain size diversity in rice (Oryza sativa L.). GL7 encodes a protein homologous to Arabidopsis thaliana LONGIFOLIA proteins, which regulate longitudinal cell elongation. Tandem duplication of a 17.1-kb segment at the GL7 locus leads to upregulation of GL7 and downregulation of its nearby negative regulator, resulting in an increase in grain length and improvement of grain appearance quality. Sequence analysis indicates that allelic variants of GL7 and its negative regulator are associated with grain size diversity and that the CNV at the GL7 locus was selected for and used in breeding. Our work suggests that pyramiding beneficial alleles of GL7 and other yield- and quality-related genes may improve the breeding of elite rice varieties.

Starch synthase IIIa (SSIIIa)-deficient rice (Oryza sativa) mutants were generated using retrotransposon insertion and chemical mutagenesis. The lowest migrating SS activity bands on glycogen-containing native polyacrylamide gel, which were identified to be those for SSIIIa, were completely absent in these mutants, indicating that they are SSIIIa null mutants. The amylopectin B2 to B4 chains with degree of polymerization (DP) ≥ 30 and the M  r of amylopectin in the mutant were reduced to about 60% and 70% of the wild-type values, respectively, suggesting that SSIIIa plays an important part in the elongation of amylopectin B2 to B4 chains. Chains with DP 6 to 9 and DP 16 to 19 decreased while chains with DP 10 to 15 and DP 20 to 25 increased in the mutants amylopectin. These changes in the SSIIIa mutants are almost opposite images of those of SSI-deficient rice mutant and were caused by 1.3- to 1.7-fold increase of the amount of SSI in the mutants endosperm. Furthermore, the amylose content and the extralong chains (DP ≥ 500) of amylopectin were increased by 1.3- and 12-fold, respectively. These changes in the composition in the mutants starch were caused by 1.4- to 1.7-fold increase in amounts of granules-bound starch synthase (GBSSI). The starch granules of the mutants were smaller with round shape, and were less crystalline. Thus, deficiency in SSIIIa, the second major SS isozyme in developing rice endosperm affected the structure of amylopectin, amylase content, and physicochemical properties of starch granules in two ways: directly by the SSIIIa deficiency itself and indirectly by the enhancement of both SSI and GBSSI gene transcripts.

Grain-filling, an important trait that contributes greatly to grain weight, is regulated by quantitative trait loci and is associated with crop domestication syndrome. However, the genes and underlying molecular mechanisms controlling crop grain-filling remain elusive. Here we report the isolation and functional analysis of the rice GIF1 (GRAIN INCOMPLETE FILLING 1) gene that encodes a cell-wall invertase required for carbon partitioning during early grain-filling. The cultivated GIF1 gene shows a restricted expression pattern during grain-filling compared to the wild rice allele, probably a result of accumulated mutations in the gene's regulatory sequence through domestication. Fine mapping with introgression lines revealed that the wild rice GIF1 is responsible for grain weight reduction. Ectopic expression of the cultivated GIF1 gene with the 35S or rice Waxy promoter resulted in smaller grains, whereas overexpression of GIF1 driven by its native promoter increased grain production. These findings, together with the domestication signature that we identified by comparing nucleotide diversity of the GIF1 loci between cultivated and wild rice, strongly suggest that GIF1 is a potential domestication gene and that such a domestication-selected gene can be used for further crop improvement.

Background: Various evolutionary models have been proposed to interpret the fate of paralogous duplicates, which provides substrates on which evolution selection could act. In particular, domestication, as a special selection, has played important role in crop cultivation with divergence of many genes controlling important agronomic traits. Recent studies have indicated that a pair of duplicate genes was often sub-functionalized from their ancestral functions held by the parental genes. We previously demonstrated that the rice cell-wall invertase (CWI) gene GIF1 that plays an important role in the grain-filling process was most likely subjected to domestication selection in the promoter region. Here, we report that GIF1 and another CWI gene OsCIN1 constitute a pair of duplicate genes with differentiated expression and function through independent selection. Results: Through synteny analysis, we show that GIF1 and another cell-wall invertase gene OsCIN1 were paralogues derived from a segmental duplication originated during genome duplication of grasses. Results based on analyses of population genetics and gene phylogenetic tree of 25 cultivars and 25 wild rice sequences demonstrated that OsCIN1 was also artificially selected during rice domestication with a fixed mutation in the coding region, in contrast to GIF1 that was selected in the promoter region. GIF1 and OsCIN1 have evolved into different expression patterns and probable different kinetics parameters of enzymatic activity with the latter displaying less enzymatic activity. Overexpression of GIF1 and OsCIN1 also resulted in different phenotypes, suggesting that OsCIN1 might regulate other unrecognized biological process. Conclusion: How gene duplication and divergence contribute to genetic novelty and morphological adaptation has been an interesting issue to geneticists and biologists. Our discovery that the duplicated pair of GIF1 and OsCIN1 has experiencedsub-functionalization implies that selection could act independently on each duplicate towards different functional specificity, which provides a vivid example for evolution of genetic novelties in a model crop. Our results also further support the established hypothesis that gene duplication with sub-functionalization could be one solution for genetic adaptive conflict.

Rice (Oryza sativa) endosperm accumulates a massive amount of storage starch and storage proteins during seed development. However, little is known about the regulatory system involved in the production of storage substances. The rice flo2 mutation resulted in reduced grain size and starch quality. Map-based cloning identified FLOURY ENDOSPERM2 (FLO2), a member of a novel gene family conserved in plants, as the gene responsible for the rice flo2 mutation. FLO2 harbors a tetratricopeptide repeat motif, considered to mediate a protein–protein interactions. FLO2 was abundantly expressed in developing seeds coincident with production of storage starch and protein, as well as in leaves, while abundant expression of its homologs was observed only in leaves. The flo2 mutation decreased expression of genes involved in production of storage starch and storage proteins in the endosperm. Differences between cultivars in their responsiveness of FLO2 expression during high-temperature stress indicated that FLO2 may be involved in heat tolerance during seed development. Overexpression of FLO2 enlarged the size of grains significantly. These results suggest that FLO2 plays a pivotal regulatory role in rice grain size and starch quality by affecting storage substance accumulation in the endosperm.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Chalkiness, the opaque part in the kernel endosperm formed by loosely piled starch and protein bodies. Chalkiness is a complex quantitative trait regulated by multiple genes and various environmental factors. Phytohormones play important roles in the regulation of chalkiness formation but the underlying molecular mechanism is still unclear at present.In this research, Xiangzaoxian24 (X24, pure line of indica rice with high-chalkiness) and its origin parents Xiangzaoxian11 (X11, female parent, pure line of indica rice with high-chalkiness) and Xiangzaoxian7 (X7, male parent, pure line of indica rice with low-chalkiness) were used as materials. The phenotype, physiological and biochemical traits combined with transcriptome analysis were conducted to illustrate the dynamic process and transcriptional regulation of rice chalkiness formation. Impressively, phytohormonal contents and multiple phytohormonal signals were significantly different in chalky caryopsis, suggesting the involvement of phytohormones, particularly ABA and auxin, in the regulation of rice chalkiness formation, through the interaction of multiple transcription factors and their downstream regulators.These results indicated that chalkiness formation is a dynamic process associated with multiple genes, forming a complex regulatory network in which phytohormones play important roles. These results provided informative clues for illustrating the regulatory mechanisms of chalkiness formation in rice.

利用开放式空气CO₂浓度增高(FACE)系统平台,研究大田栽培条件下粳稻武香粳14号稻米品质性状对CO₂浓度增高200μmol·mol^-1的响应.结果表明,FACE处理稻谷的出糙率平均比CK高1.4个百分点,整精米率平均比CK低12.3个百分点,较低的供N水平有利于提高FACE条件下的出糙率,较高的供N水平有利于提高FACE条件下的整精米率;FACE处理的稻米垩白略有增加,垩白粒率平均比CK高11.9个百分点,垩白度平均比CK平均高2.8个百分点,较高的供N和供P水平有利于降低FACE条件下垩白大小、垩白粒率和垩白度;FACE处理稻米糊化温度平均比CK平均高0.52℃,胶稠度有提高的趋势,但对稻米直链淀粉含量影响较小,较高的供N和供P水平有利于降低FACE条件下稻米的直链淀粉含量,较低的供N和较高的供P水平有利于降低FACE条件下稻米胶稠度,较低的供N水平有利于降低FACE条件下稻米糊化温度;FACE处理使稻米蛋白质含量比CK平均低0.6个百分点,较低的供N和供P水平有利于降低FACE条件下稻米蛋白质含量.

Rising tropospheric ozone concentrations in Asia affect the yield and quality of rice. This study investigated ozone-induced changes in rice grain quality in contrasting rice genotypes, and explored the associated physiological processes during the reproductive growth phase. The ozone sensitive variety Nipponbare and a breeding line (L81) containing two tolerance QTLs in Nipponbare background were exposed to 100 ppb ozone (8 h per day) or control conditions throughout their growth. Ozone affected grain chalkiness and protein concentration and composition. The percentage of chalky grains was significantly increased in Nipponbare but not in L81. Physiological measurements suggested that grain chalkiness was associated with a drop in foliar carbohydrate and nitrogen levels during grain filling, which was less pronounced in the tolerant L81. Grain total protein concentration was significantly increased in the ozone treatment, although the albumin fraction (water soluble protein) decreased. The increase in protein was more pronounced in L81, due to increases in the glutelin fraction in this genotype. Amino acids responded differently to the ozone treatment. Three essential amino acids (leucine, methionine and threonine) showed significant increases, while seven showed significant treatment by genotype interactions, mostly due to more positive responses in L81. The trend of increased grain protein was in contrast to foliar nitrogen levels, which were negatively affected by ozone. A negative correlation between grain protein and foliar nitrogen in ozone stress indicated that higher grain protein cannot be explained by a concentration effect in all tissues due to lower biomass production. Rather, ozone exposure affected the nitrogen distribution, as indicated by altered foliar activity of the enzymes involved in nitrogen metabolism, such as glutamine synthetase and glutamine-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase. Our results demonstrate differential responses of grain quality to ozone due to the presence of tolerance QTL, and partly explain the underlying physiological processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

水稻是我国最重要口粮作物,在保障国家粮食安全中具有举足轻重的作用。当前,我国水稻生产正面临由传统小规模生产向机械化、智能化、标准化和集约化的现代规模化生产方式转变,在此重要历史节点,回顾总结70年中国特色水稻栽培学发展历程与科技成就,对探索未来水稻栽培科技发展方向具有重要意义。70年来,我国水稻栽培科技界抓住水稻不同主产区大面积生产问题与关键技术瓶颈,深入开展水稻生长发育和产量、品质形成规律及其与环境条件、栽培措施等方面关系的研究,探索水稻生育调控、栽培优化决策和栽培管理等新途径与新方法,取得了一大批在生产上大面积应用的重要栽培技术和理论,形成了一批重大栽培科技成果。笔者着重从叶龄模式栽培理论及技术、群体质量及其调控、精确定量栽培、轻简化栽培、机械化栽培、超高产栽培、优质栽培、绿色栽培、逆境栽培和区域化栽培等十个方面阐述了改革开放以来中国水稻栽培取得的主要科技成就,并指出了未来中国水稻栽培创新发展的重要方向：一是加强水稻绿色优质丰产协调规律与广适性栽培技术研究;二是加强多元专用稻优质栽培研究;三是加强水稻超高产提质协同规律及实用栽培研究;四是加强直播稻、再生稻稳定丰产优质机械化栽培研究;五是加强水稻智能化、无人化栽培研究。

 【目的】探讨麦后直播条件下播期对不同熟期类型水稻品种产量及品质的影响。【方法】以3种熟期类型的6个水稻品种为材料，通过分期播种试验，对不同播期条件下直播稻产量形成及品质性状进行分析。【结果】随着播期的推迟，3种熟期类型水稻品种产量均显著下降，且变化程度不一；产量的下降主要在于每穗颖花数和结实率的降低，穗数和千粒重变化不大。不同播期条件下直播稻的主要品质性状的变化规律在品种类型间有所异同：随着播期的推迟，产生相同效应的是外观品质和蒸煮与食味品质，但变化趋势不一，外观品质均呈变优的趋势，蒸煮与食味品质则呈变劣的趋势；产生不同效应的是加工品质和营养品质，推迟播期使中熟中粳和迟熟中粳类型品种的加工品质变优而营养品质变劣，早熟晚粳类型品种的加工品质变劣而营养品质变优。【结论】直播稻在前茬腾茬时间允许的条件下尽可能早播易取得高产，且可以改善稻米的蒸煮与食味品质，但降低了外观品质，播期对加工品质和营养品质的影响因品种熟期类型而异。

随着生活水平的提高，稻米品质愈发受到人们的关注。本文概述了本世纪以来，我国农业科技工作者在栽培措施对稻米品质影响方面的一些研究成果，并从播期、密度、种植方式、肥料运筹、水分管理和种养模式等方面总结了优质稻米生产技术，供生产者参考。

以超级稻南粳44为材料，研究施磷量对水稻产量和品质的影响。结果表明，大田基施磷肥(P2O5)  0.0~225.0  kg/hm2，单位面积穗数、每穗粒数随着施磷量的增加而降低，结实率、千粒重则先升后降。各品质指标值与施磷量的相关均未达到显著水平，但施磷能提高糙米率、整精米率、垩白面积、垩白度，降低峰值黏度、热浆黏度、崩解值、冷胶黏度和回复值，而精米率、垩白米率、蛋白质含量、直链淀粉含量、起始糊化温度、消减值和到达峰值黏度时间对磷素的反应不明显。施磷主要是增加垩白面积从而增加垩白度，对垩白面积、垩白度、消减值影响较大，而糙米率、到达峰值黏度时间和起始糊化温度基本不受影响。综合产量和品质性状，水稻生产中应适量施磷(在土壤营养中等或偏上土壤上施85.7 kg/hm2为宜)，过量施用不仅低产低效，还会加重生态污染。