Gene Interaction that Contributes to Rice Heat Tolerance Identified

Rice is one of the most important staple crops,on which more than half of the world’s population depends.But as temperatures rise and extreme weather events increase,rice becomes more vulnerable.Genetically modified strains can withstand some flooding,but few,if any,can survive the heat stress caused by the combination of high temperatures and drought.There may be hardier crops on the horizon,though,with the help of a molecular map that details the specific gene interactions that control how tolerant rice is to heat.