OsABA8ox2, an ABA catabolic gene, suppresses root elongation of rice seedlings and contributes to drought response

In rice, OsABA8ox encodes abscisic acid(ABA) 8′-hydroxylase, which catalyzes the committed step of ABA catabolism. The contribution of ABA catabolism in root development remains unclear. We investigated the role of OsABA8ox2 in root growth and development and drought response. GUS staining results showed that OsABA8ox2 was expressed mainly in roots at seedling stage and was strongly expressed in the meristematic zone of the radicle. OsABA8ox2 expression in roots was markedly decreased after 0.5 h polyethylene glycol(PEG) treatment and increased after 0.5 h rehydration, implying that OsABA8ox2 is a drought-responsive gene.OsABA8ox2 knockout mediated by the CRISPR-Cas9 system increased drought-induced ABA and indole-3-acetic acid accumulation in roots, conferred increased ABA sensitivity, and promoted a more vertically oriented root system architecture(RSA) beneficial to drought tolerance.OsABA8ox2 overexpression suppressed root elongation and increased stomatal conductance and transpiration rate. Consequently, OsABA8ox2 knockout dramatically improved rice drought tolerance, whereas OsABA8ox2 overexpression seedlings were hypersensitive to drought stress,suggesting that OsABA8ox2 contributes to drought response in rice. Compared with wild type,functional leaves of OsABA8ox2 knockout seedlings showed higher ABA levels, whereas overexpression lines showed lower ABA levels, suggesting that OsABA8ox2, as an ABA catabolic gene, modulates ABA concentration through ABA catabolism. OsABA8ox2 and OsABA8ox3 were both localized in the endoplasmic reticulum. Together, these results indicate that OsABA8ox2 suppresses root elongation of rice seedlings, increases water transpiration, and contributes to drought response through ABA catabolism, and that OsABA8ox2 knockout dramatically improves rice drought tolerance. They highlight the key role of ABA catabolism mediated by OsABA8ox2 on root growth and development. OsABA8ox2, as a novel RSA gene, would be a potential genetic target for the improvement of rice drought tolerance.

Calcium effect on the process of cold-hardening of rice seedlings

Low temperature is an important environmen-tal factor that limits the productivity and dis-tribution of plant. The ability to cold acclima-tion is a common adaptive response in plantsnative in temperate regions and results in en-hancing tolerance to chilling stress. In presentstudy the seedlings of Tesanai 2 were grown at28±1℃ and under a photo flux density (PFD)of 30μmol/m~2s for 8 d. The cold acclimationresponse is triggered by 14℃ under a PFD of75 μmol/m~2s for 3 d. Rice seedlings for cold-hardening were germinated from seeds treatedwith or without immersion in 30 mmol/L ofCaClsolution. Change of membrane systemprotection in leaves at various periods(viz:fol-lowing cold-hardening, chilling stress and onthe 3rd day of recovery), the ratio of survival

Effect of LaCl_3 on the chilling tolerance of rice seedlings

The rice variety Tesanai 2 is susceptible tochilling.Exposure of the seedlings grown at 28±1℃ and under a photo flux density(PFD)of30 μmol/m~2s to 1℃ and under a PFD of 150μmol/m~2s for 2 d caused a physiological disor-der called chilling injury which reduced the sur-vival rate to 50%.The experimental results in-

Effect of exogenous salicylic acid on resistance of rice seedlings to blast

Salicylic acid(SA)is an endogenous regulatorymolecule for plant flowering and thermogene-sis,and has been reported as a signal moleculeof plant disease resistance in the plant-pathogen interaction.Exogenous SA is capableof inducing disease resistance in a wide range ofplants.This study was to evaluate the poten-tial for SA to induce resistance of rice seedlings

Effect of gradient magnetic field on physiochemistry functions of rice seedlings

Rice varieties Handao 2,Zhongbai 4,Han-jingzi,and Akihikari were treated with gradi-ent magnetic fileld to study the effect of gradi-ent field on rice.The magnetic field was madeup of 12 plots magnetic plates arranged in eachother south and north pole.The magneticstrength was 0-40 mT.Each four varieties wasput under the magnetic plate 15 cm away,andwent through the magnetic field with the speedof 20 cm/s.The same varieties without thetreatment were used as CK.Both of the seedswere soaked in water for 48 h in room temper-ature,and then sprouted on the porcelain platewith absorbed water paper.When the

Effect of seed soaked with urea solution on the cold tolerance of rice seedlings

In the Yangtze river aera,the first crop of indi-ca rice is sown in late Mar to early Apr andtransplanted in early May.Usually,seedlingsperish when abnormal low temperature of 6-10℃ lasted for 3 d or longer.The effect ofsocking seed with urea solution on increasingthe cold tolerance at the seedling stage was

Changes of carbohydrate and protein metabolism in seedling leaves of a temperature-induced greenable albino mutant line W25 of rice

W25 is a low-temperature-sensitive albino mu-tant line. Temperature not only controls thealbino phenotype expression of W25, but alsodetermines whether it could survive. When thetemperature is lower than 25℃, the leaves ofW25 shows complete albino, but they exhibitsnormal green when temperature is higher than30℃. Meanwhile, at 25℃, it can be greenable

Effect of plant growth regulator on rate of twin seedlings of rice with polyembryony

Rice with polyembryony characterized bytwin seedlings is a good genetic tool for apomixisresearch.A study on the effect of five plantgrowth regulators(IAA,KT,GA,2,4-D and6-BAP)on rate of twin seedlings in 3 rice varie.ties with polyembryony(Shuang 3,Shuang 13and Lu 52)was conducted.The results showed