Acquired Thermo‐Tolerance and Trans‐Generational Heat Stress Response at Flowering in Rice

In rice, pre‐exposure to sublethal treatment followed by harsh lethal treatment is known to improve tolerance of different abiotic stresses at the vegetative stage within and across generations. Our major aim was to test the phenomenon of thermo‐tolerance at flowering across (trans)‐generations and within generation using rice cultivars contrasting for heat stress tolerance at flowering. To test trans‐generational response, plants were exposed to higher temperature at flowering stage and seeds obtained from previous generations were exposed to heat stress during flowering, which recorded significantly lower fertility when exposed to the same degree of stress in their subsequent generations. A pre‐acclimation to moderately high acclimating temperatures imposed over three different durations during the vegetative and initial reproductive stage showed positive response in the tolerant N22, particularly under severe heat stress (40 °C). This finding indicates the possibility of acquiring ameliorative thermo‐tolerant mechanisms at anthesis, restricted to tolerant genetic backgrounds to combat subsequent harsh conditions within the same generation. However, trans‐generational memory was ineffective in mitigating spikelet sterility losses in both tolerant and susceptible backgrounds. Rice is extremely sensitive to heat stress during flowering; hence, similar exercise across other crops of interest needs to be carried out before generalizing conclusions.     

Effects of genes increasing the number of spikelets per panicle,TAW1 and APO1, on yield and yield-related traits in rice

The genes TAWAWA1 (TAW1) and ABERRANT PANICLE ORGANIZATION1 (APO1) increase the number of spikelets per panicle (SN). In the present study, we examined the effects of these genes on morphological traits, yield, and yield-related traits including yield components using the near-isogenic lines (NILs) in the genetic background of a japonica rice variety, Koshihikari – NIL-taw1, NIL-apo1-D3, and NIL-apo1-D4 – in a field experiment. The SN and total number of spikelets per area of the three NILs were larger than those of Koshihikari. However, the yield of the three NILs did not exceed that of Koshihikari due to their low filling ability. Interestingly, our field experiments indicated that TAW1 did not affect the diameter of internodes and the PN, whereas APO1 decreased the PN and increased the diameter of internodes. These results suggest that TAW1 and APO1 differently affect yield-related traits.     

Frequency and fertility restoration efficiency of Rf3 and Rf4 genes in Indian rice

Identification of new parental lines is crucial for developing ecology‐specific hybrids with ideal agronomic performance. We screened a total of 570 different ecology‐specific Indian rice varieties for the presence of fertility restorer genes, Rf3 and Rf4 using tightly linked markers DRRM Rf3‐10 and RM6100, respectively. Among these varieties, 13% carried Rf3Rf3/Rf4Rf4, 31% carried rf3rf3/rf4rf4, 6% carried Rf3Rf3/rf4rf4 and remaining 50% carried Rf4Rf4/rf3rf3 allelic combinations. A mini set of 40 varieties with variable allelic combinations of fertility restorer genes were testcrossed with WA and Kalinga‐based CMS lines. All the 80 F₁s were evaluated for spikelet fertility and fertility restoration ability. Rf3Rf3/rf4rf4 genotypes mostly behaved as partial maintainers or partial restorers. In contrast, rf3rf3/Rf4Rf4 genotypes were partial or effective restorers. However, double dominant genotypes showed better fertility restoration than the genotypes containing Rf3 or Rf4 individually. Some of the genotypes showed unexpected restoration pattern implying occurrence of other fertility restorer(s) apart from Rf3 and Rf4. The perfect restorers and maintainers identified in this study can be directly used in hybrid rice breeding.     

Season-specific varietal management as an option to increase rainfed lowland rice production in East African high altitude cropping systems

Due to land expansion and an increase in productivity, rice production in sub-Saharan Africa has been growing at a rate of 6% in the past decade. Rainfed rice production systems have accounted for a large share of this expansion. In these systems, the potential growing period not only depends on the length of the rainy season and thus water availability, but is often, especially in the highlands of East Africa, bordered by the onset of the cool period of the year, when low minimum temperatures compromise rice yields. The objective of this study was to investigate the yield potential of 30 rice varieties contrasting in crop duration and cold tolerance in the highlands of East Africa, with its limited length of growing period. A field trial was conducted in the cropping seasons in 2016 and 2017 at the Fogera rice research station, Ethiopia. As a function of the onset of rains, rice was sown mid-July in 2016 and early July in 2017. Early sowing in 2017 led to an extended crop duration and significantly lower yields of the short-duration varieties, and to a shortened duration and significantly higher yields of the medium- and long-duration varieties, when compared to late sowing in 2016. Late sowing compromised yield of the medium- and long-duration varieties because of low temperatures during booting stage, which led to high spikelet sterility. Early sowing resulted in low yields of the short-duration varieties, probably due to low solar radiation during the cloudy rainy season, which coincided with the vegetative stage. Therefore, choice of variety should be a function of the variable onset of the rainy season and related sowing date. However, crop models precisely calibrated for potential varieties and the respective environmental conditions could fully support the selection of a suitable variety, depending on the date of sowing, for example with the help of online tools or smartphone applications.     

颖花不同剪除方法影响籼稻不育系柱头活力持续时间的研究

以籼型水稻三系不育系Ⅱ-32A、冈46A和宜香1A为材料,试验设剪除穗子部分颖花、整穗颖花保持不变和剪除穗子颖花的上半部分3个处理, 观察它们的柱头活力变化及持续时间.结果显示,剪除部分颖花试验的柱头活力持续时间较长,剪除颖花上半部分试验的柱头活力持续时间最短,整穗颖花保持不变试验的柱头活力持续时间最长.     

IAA与亚种间杂交稻籽粒发育的关系及烯效唑的调节

 以汕优413及其父本品种中413为材料,研究了内外源IAA在籽粒发育过程中的作用及植物生长延缓剂S-07对其强、弱势粒灌浆过程的影响。在灌浆前期,强势粒抑制弱势粒的发育,外源IAA可代替强势粒的这种抑制作用;灌浆过程中强、弱势粒内源IAA的变化动态存在差异,其中强势粒的内源IAA在开花后急剧上升,8 d左右达最高峰;而弱势粒的IAA水平开花后则有一段约12 d的“滞缓期”,在开花后20 d左右才有一高峰出现。强弱势粒对3H-IAA的合成和吸收能力差异可能是导致其内源IAA水平不平衡的原因之一。孕穗末期喷施S-07可部分抑制强势粒的发育而相对促进弱势粒的发育,提高弱势粒千粒重;孕穗末期喷施S-07溶液可降低强势粒但提高弱势粒灌浆前期的内源IAA水平。     

三系粳稻不育系开花习性与异交结实率的关系

以583A、7740A7、7237A、春江12A、春江16A、春江26A、99-44A、宁67A、旱稻A等9个不同柱头外露率和花时的三系粳稻不育系为母本,以粳稻恢复系CH89为父本,进行大田小区制种,对不育系的午前花率、柱头外露率与异交结实率之间的关系进行了分析。结果表明,不育系柱头外露率与异交结实率之间的简单相关系数和偏相关系数以及午前花率与异交结实率之间的简单相关系数均达到显著水平,异交结实率与柱头外露率、午前花率之间的复相关系数也达到显著水平。粳稻不育系异交结实率(y)与柱头外露率(x1)、午前花率(x2)的回归方程为y=26.06 0.51x1 0.28x2。通径分析表明,柱头外露率对粳稻不育系异交结实率起更重要的作用。对三系粳稻不育系的遗传改良及制种策略进行了讨论。     

杂交稻亲本枝梗和颖花分化与退化对播期反应的基因型差异与类型

采用分期播种试验方法,对23个杂交水稻亲本不同播期下稻穗枝梗和颖花分化、退化及其形成指标的基因型差异及其类型进行了研究,结果表明:相同播期下,稻穗枝梗和颖花分化、退化及其形成的全部12个指标均存在极显著的基因型间差异,且这些指标的差异仅与特定的基因型有关;23个基因型综合平均值不同播期间颖花分化数、一次枝梗退化数、二次枝梗退化数、一次枝梗退化率、二次枝梗退化率、一次枝梗形成数、二次枝梗形成数和单穗颖花总形成数等指标存在显著差异,其变幅分别为215.48～235.75、0.57～0.96、10.90～15.33、3.96%～6.47%、19.79%～27.23%、12.32～12.93、41.01～44.94、204.20～225.13;一次枝梗分化数、二次枝梗分化数、颖花退化数、颖花退化率等指标未检测出显著差异;相对于一次枝梗和颖花的退化而言,二次枝梗退化存在更为显著的基因型和播期差异,23个基因型二次枝梗退化数平均值变幅为5.33～23.78,极差为0.33～15.33;根据二次枝梗退化数和单穗颖花总形成数不同播期下的平均值、极差和变异系数,可初步将23个基因型对播期的反应划分为极敏感型、敏感型和钝感型。