Effects of long-term straw return on soil organic carbon fractions and enzyme activities in a double-cropped rice paddy in South China

Long-term straw return is an important carbon source for improving soil organic carbon(SOC) stocks in croplands, and straw removal through burning is also a common practice in open fields in South China. However, the specific effects of long-term rice straw management on SOC fractions, the related enzyme activities and their relationships, and whether these effects differ between crop growing seasons remain unknown. Three treatments with equal nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium nutrient inputs, including straw/ash and chemical nutrients, were established to compare the effects of straw removal(CK), straw return(SR), and straw burned return(SBR). Compared to CK, long-term SR tended to improve the yield of early season rice(P=0.057), and significantly increased total organic carbon(TOC) and microbial biomass carbon(MBC) in double-cropped rice paddies. While SBR had no effect on TOC, it decreased light fraction organic carbon(LFOC) in early rice and easily oxidizable organic carbon(EOC) in late rice, significantly increased dissolved organic carbon(DOC), and significantly decreased soil p H. These results showed that MBC was the most sensitive indicator for assessing changes of SOC in the double-cropped rice system due to long-term straw return. In addition, the different effects on SOC fraction sizes between SR and SBR were attributed to the divergent trends in most of the soil enzyme activities in the early and late rice that mainly altered DOC, while DOC was positively affected by β-xylosidase in both early and late rice. We concluded that straw return was superior to straw burned return for improving SOC fractions, but the negative effects on soil enzyme activities in late rice require further research.

Effects of single basal application of coated compound fertilizer on yield and nitrogen use efficiency in double-cropped rice

Fertilizer plays an important role in increasing rice yield. More than half of all fertilizer applied to the field is not taken up, resulting in environmental damage and substantial economic losses. To address these concerns, a low-cost, coated compound fertilizer named "Xiang Nong Da"(XND), requiring only a single basal application, was studied. A two-year field experiment was conducted to test the effects of XND application on rice yield and nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency. An ordinary uncoated compound fertilizer(UNCF), with 20% more nutrients and split application was selected as the control. The yield of XND-treated rice was only 3.1% lower than that of the control, an insignificant difference. There were no significant differences between N use efficiency indices of the two fertilizer treatments except for N partial factor productivity(PFP_N). PFP_Nof XND treatment was 19.7%–23.2% higher than the control, a significant difference. This result indicates that a 20% decrease in N application rate is possible with XND without yield reduction and with savings in both labor and time.

Effects of mixed fertilizers formed by the compounding of two targeted controlled-release nitrogen fertilizers on yield,nitrogen use efficiency,and ammonia volatilization in double-cropping rice

One-time application of mixed fertilizer formed by the compounding of two controlled-release nitrogen fertilizers(CRUs)with targeted N supply during the periods from transplantation(TS)to panicle initiation(PI)and from PI to heading(HS)is expected to synchronize the double-peak N demand of rice.However,its effects on the yield and N use efficiency(NUE)of labor-intensive double-cropping rice were unknown.Two targeted CRU(CRU_(A)and CRU_(B))were compounded in five ratios(CRU_(A):CRU_(B)=10:0,7:3,5:5,3:7,and 0:10)to form five mixed fertilizers(BBFs):BBF1-5.A field experiment was performed to investigate the characteristics of N supply in early and late seasons under different BBFs and their effects on N uptake,yield,and ammonia volatilization(AV)loss from paddy fields of double-cropping rice.Conventional high-yield fertilization(CK,three split applications of urea)and zero-N treatments were established as controls.The N supply dropped significantly with the increased compound ratio of CRU_(B)during the period from TS to PI,but increased during the period from PI to HS.With the exception of the period from TS to PI in the late rice season,the N uptake of early and late rice maintained close synchronicity with the N supply of BBFs during the double-peak periods.Excessive N supply(BBF1 and BBF2)in the late rice season during the period from TS to PI increased N loss by AV.The effect of BBF on grain yield increase varied widely between seasons,irrespective of year.Among the BBFs,the BBF2 treatment of early rice not only stabilized the spikelets per panicle but also ensured a high number of effective panicles by promoting N uptake during the period from TS to PI and a high grain-filling percentage by appropriately reducing the N supply at the later PI stage,resulting in the highest rice yield.While stabilizing the effective panicle number,the BBF4 treatment of late rice increased the number of spikelets per panicle by promoting N uptake during the period from PI to HS,resulting in the highest rice yield.The two-year average yield and apparent N recovery efficiency of the BBF2 treatment during the early rice season were 9.6 t ha 1 and 45.3%,while those of late rice in BBF4 were 9.6 t ha 1 and 43.0%,respectively.The yield and NUE indexes of BBF2 in early rice and BBF4 in late rice showed no significant difference from those of CK.The AVs of BBF2 during the early rice season and of BBF4 during the late rice season were 50.0%and 76.8%lower,respectively,than those of CK.BBF2 and BBF4 could effectively replace conventional urea split fertilization in early and late rice seasons,ensuring rice yield and NUE and reducing AV loss in paddy fields.

Rice Husk at a Glance:From Agro-Industrial to Modern Applications

Excessive waste production has led to the concept of a circular bioeconomy to deliver valuable by-products and improve environmental sustainability.The annual worldwide rice production accounts for more than 750 million tons of grain and 150 million tons of husk.Rice husk(RH)contains valuable biomaterials with extensive applications in various fields.The proportions of each component depend primarily on rice genotype,soil chemistry,and climatic conditions.RH and its derivatives,including ash,biochar,hydrochar,and activated carbon have been placed foreground of applications in agriculture and other industries.While the investigation on RH’s compositions,microstructures,and by-products has been done copiously,owing to its unique features,it is still an open-ended area with enormous scope for innovation,research,and technology.Here,we reviewed the latest applications of RH and its derivatives,including fuel and other energy resources,construction materials,pharmacy,medicine,and nanobiotechnology to keep this versatile biomaterial in the spotlight.

The underlying mechanism of variety–water–nitrogen–stubble damage interactions on yield formation in ratoon rice with low stubble height under mechanized harvesting

Agronomic measures are the key to promote the sustainable development of ratoon rice by reducing the damage from mechanical crushing to the residual stubble of the main crop, thereby mitigating the impact on axillary bud sprouting and yield formation in ratoon rice. This study used widely recommended conventional rice Jiafuzhan and hybrid rice Yongyou 2640 as the test materials to conduct a four-factor block design field experiment in a greenhouse of the experimental farm of Fujian Agricultural and Forestry University, China from 2018 to 2019.The treatments included fertilization and no fertilization, alternate wetting and drying irrigation and continuous water flooding irrigation, and plots with and without artificial crushing damage on the rice stubble. At the same time, a 13C stable isotope in-situ detection technology was used to fertilize the pot experiment. The results showed significant interactions among varieties, water management, nitrogen application and stubble status.Relative to the long-term water flooding treatment, the treatment with sequential application of nitrogen fertilizer coupled with moderate field drought for root-vigor and tiller promotion before and after harvesting of the main crop, significantly improved the effective tillers from low position nodes. This in turn increased the effective panicles per plant and grains per panicle by reducing the influence of artificial crushing damage on rice stubble and achieving a high yield of the regenerated rice. Furthermore, the partitioning of 13C assimilates to the residual stubble and its axillary buds were significantly improved at the mature stage of the main crop, while the translocation rate to roots and rhizosphere soil was reduced at the later growth stage of ratooning season rice. This was triggered by the metabolism of hormones and polyamines at the stem base regulated by the interaction of water and fertilizer at this time. We therefore suggest that to achieve a high yield of ratoon rice with low stubble height under mechanized harvesting, the timely application of nitrogen fertilizer is fundamental,coupled with moderate field drying for root-vigor preservation and tiller promotion before and after the mechanical harvesting of the main crop.

Regulation of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline and grain quality in early-season indica fragrant rice by nitrogen and silicon fertilization under different plantation methods

Fragrant rice has a high market value,and it is a popular rice type among consumers owing to its pleasant flavor.Plantation methods,nitrogen(N)fertilizers,and silicon(Si)fertilizers can affect the grain yield and fragrance of fragrant rice.However,the core commercial rice production attributes,namely the head rice yield(HRY)and 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline(2-AP)content of fragrant rice,under various nitrogen and silicon(N-Si)fertilization levels and different plantation methods remain unknown.The field experiment in this study was performed in the early seasons of 2018 and 2019 with two popular indica fragrant rice cultivars(Yuxiangyouzhan and Xiangyaxiangzhan).They were grown under six N-Si fertilization treatments(combinations of two levels of Si fertilizer,0 kg Si ha^(−1)(Si0)and 150 kg Si ha^(−1)(Si1),and three levels of N fertilizer,0 kg N ha^(−1)(N0),150 kg N ha^(−1)(N1),and 220 kg N ha^(−1)(N2))and three plantation methods(artificial transplanting(AT),mechanical transplanting(MT),and mechanical direct-seeding(MD)).The results showed that the N-Si fertilization treatments and all the plantation methods significantly affected the HRY and 2-AP content and related parameters of the two different fragrant rice cultivars.Compared with the Si0N0 treatment,the N-Si fertilization treatments resulted in higher HRY and 2-AP contents.The rates of brown rice,milled rice,head rice,and chalky rice of the fragrant rice also improved with the N-Si fertilization treatments.The N-Si fertilization treatments increased the activities of N metabolism enzymes and the accumulation of N and Si in various parts of the fragrant rice,and affected their antioxidant response parameters.The key parameters for the HRY and 2-AP content were assessed by redundancy analysis.Furthermore,the structural equation model revealed that the Si and N accumulation levels indirectly affected the HRY by affecting the N metabolism enzyme activity,N use efficiency,and grain quality of fragrant rice.Moreover,high N and Si accumulation directly promoted the 2-AP content or affected the antioxidant response parameters and indirectly regulated 2-AP synthesis.The interactions of the MT method with the N-Si fertilization treatments varied in the fragrant rice cultivars in terms of the HRY and 2-AP content,whereas the MD method was beneficial to the 2-AP content in both fragrant rice cultivars under the N-Si fertilization treatments.

Effects of Milling Methods on Rice Flour Properties and Rice Product Quality:A Review

High-quality rice flour is the foundation for the production of various rice-based products.Milling is an essential step in obtaining rice flour,during which significant changes occur in the physicochemical and quality characteristics of the flour.Although rice flour obtained through mainstream wet milling methods exhibits superior quality,low production efficiency and wastewater discharge limit the development of the industry.Dry milling,on the other hand,conserves water resources,but adversely affects flour performance due to excessive heat generation.As an emerging powder-making technique,semi-dry milling offers a promising solution by enhancing flour quality and reducing environmental impact.This is achieved by minimizing soaking time through hot air treatment while reducing mechanical energy consumption to reach saturated water absorption levels.However,continuous production remains a challenge.This comprehensive review summarizes the effects of various milling technologies on rice flour properties and product qualities.It also discusses key control indicators and technical considerations for rice flour processing equipment and processes.

Preparation of lactic acid bacteria compound starter cultures based on pasting properties and its improvement of glutinous rice flour and dough

The effects of 5 lactic acid bacteria(LAB)fermentation on the pasting properties of glutinous rice flour were compared,and suitable fermentation strains were selected based on the changes of viscosity,setback value,and breakdown value to prepare LAB compound starter cultures.The results revealed that Latilactobacillus sakei HSD004 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HSD005 had apparent advantages in increasing the viscosity and reducing the setback and breakdown values of glutinous rice flour.In particular,the compound starter created using the two abovementioned LAB in the ratio of 3:1 had better performance than that using a single LAB in improving the pasting properties and increasing the water and oil absorption capacity of glutinous rice flour.Moreover,the gelatinization enthalpy of the fermented samples increased significantly.For frozen glutinous rice dough stored for 28 days,the viscoelasticity of frozen dough prepared by compound starter was better than that of control dough,and the freezable water content was lower than that of control dough.These results indicate that compound LAB fermentation is a promising technology in the glutinous rice-based food processing industry,which has significance for its application.

A phenology-based vegetation index for improving ratoon rice mapping using harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 data

Ratoon rice,which refers to a second harvest of rice obtained from the regenerated tillers originating from the stubble of the first harvested crop,plays an important role in both food security and agroecology while requiring minimal agricultural inputs.However,accurately identifying ratoon rice crops is challenging due to the similarity of its spectral features with other rice cropping systems(e.g.,double rice).Moreover,images with a high spatiotemporal resolution are essential since ratoon rice is generally cultivated in fragmented croplands within regions that frequently exhibit cloudy and rainy weather.In this study,taking Qichun County in Hubei Province,China as an example,we developed a new phenology-based ratoon rice vegetation index(PRVI)for the purpose of ratoon rice mapping at a 30 m spatial resolution using a robust time series generated from Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2(HLS)images.The PRVI that incorporated the red,near-infrared,and shortwave infrared 1 bands was developed based on the analysis of spectro-phenological separability and feature selection.Based on actual field samples,the performance of the PRVI for ratoon rice mapping was carefully evaluated by comparing it to several vegetation indices,including normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI),enhanced vegetation index(EVI)and land surface water index(LSWI).The results suggested that the PRVI could sufficiently capture the specific characteristics of ratoon rice,leading to a favorable separability between ratoon rice and other land cover types.Furthermore,the PRVI showed the best performance for identifying ratoon rice in the phenological phases characterized by grain filling and harvesting to tillering of the ratoon crop(GHS-TS2),indicating that only several images are required to obtain an accurate ratoon rice map.Finally,the PRVI performed better than NDVI,EVI,LSWI and their combination at the GHS-TS2 stages,with producer's accuracy and user's accuracy of 92.22 and 89.30%,respectively.These results demonstrate that the proposed PRVI based on HLS data can effectively identify ratoon rice in fragmented croplands at crucial phenological stages,which is promising for identifying the earliest timing of ratoon rice planting and can provide a fundamental dataset for crop management activities.

Rice gene OsUGT75A regulates seedling emergence under deep-sowing conditions

Poor seedling emergence is a challenge for direct seeding of rice under deep-sowing field conditions.Here we reveal that UDP-glucosyltransferase OsUGT75A promotes rice seedling emergence under deepsowing conditions by increasing shoot length.Expression of OsUGT75A was higher in the middle regions of the shoot and in shoots under deep-sowing conditions.Levels of free abscisic acid(ABA)and jasmonates(JA)were higher in shoots of OsUGT75A mutants than in those of wild-type plants,and OsUGT75A mutants were more sensitive to ABA and JA treatments.Reduced shoot length was attributed to higher ABA INSENSITIVE 3(OsABI3)expression and lower JASMONATE-ZIM domain protein(OsJAZ)expression in shoots.Shoot extension by OsUGT75A is achieved mainly by promotion of cell elongation.An elite haplotype of OsUGT75A associated with increased shoot length was identified among indica rice accessions.OsUGT75A acts to increase seedling emergence under deep-sowing conditions.

A 48-bp deletion upstream of LIGULELESS 1 alters rice panicle architecture

Panicle architecture is an agronomic determinant of crop yield and a target for cereal crop improvement.To investigate its molecular mechanisms in rice,we performed map-based cloning and characterization of OPEN PANICLE 1(OP1),a gain-of-function allele of LIGULELESS 1(LG1),controlling the spread-panicle phenotype.This allele results from a 48-bp deletion in the LG1 upstream region and promotes pulvinus development at the base of the primary branch.Increased OP1 expression and altered panicle phenotype in chimeric transgenic plants and upstream-region knockout mutants indicated that the deletion regulates spread-panicle architecture in the mutant spread panicle 1(sp1).Knocking out BRASSINOSTEROID UPREGULATED1(BU1)gene in the background of OP1 complementary plants resulted in compact panicles,suggesting OP1 may regulate inflorescence architecture via the brassinosteroid signaling pathway.We regard that manipulating the upstream regulatory region of OP1 or genes involved in BR signal pathway could be an efficient way to improve rice inflorescence architecture.

Sensory Phenotypic and Molecular Identification of Aromatic Rice Accessions Cultivated in Benin

Rice is one of the most widely cultivated cereals in the world, and its aroma is increasingly in demand. With the advancement of research, a major rice flavor gene has been identified on rice chromosome 8. It encodes non-functional betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase leading to the accumulation of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline which is the major olfactory compound that confers the fragrant character to rice. The aroma of rice is considered a special trait of enormous economic importance that determines the prime price in world trade. To satisfy the needs of the population and reduce rice imports into Benin, we conducted this study to identify aromatic rice accessions grown in Benin. Seventy-two rice accessions collected across Benin were PCR amplified with three SSR markers RM 7049, Aro 7, and RM 223, linked to the fgr (fragrance of rice) aroma gene. Molecular analysis revealed that 12 of the 72 accessions, namely Bagou 19, Bagou 22, Tchaka 34, Foun 15, Tchaka 41, Nana 32, Kan 61, Kung 69, Kung 67, Bagou 20, Agbab 101 and Koum 55 possess the fgr gene and can be considered as aromatic rice accessions. A sensory phenotypic test using KOH was carried out on rice accessions carrying fgr gene. Of the twelve positives, only one had the smell of aromatic rice, like the Azucena control. These results show that Benin also has aromatic rice varieties that can be sold on national and international markets.

Leaf Morphology Genes SRL1 and RENL1 Co-Regulate Cellulose Synthesis and Affect Rice Drought Tolerance

The morphological development of rice(Oryza sativa L.)leaves is closely related to plant architecture,physiological activities,and resistance.However,it is unclear whether there is a co-regulatory relationship between the morphological development of leaves and adaptation to drought environment.In this study,a drought-sensitive,roll-enhanced,and narrow-leaf mutant(renl1)was induced from a semi-rolled leaf mutant(srl1)by ethyl methane sulfonate(EMS),which was obtained from Nipponbare(NPB)through EMS.Map-based cloning and functional validation showed that RENL1 encodes a cellulose synthase,allelic to NRL1/OsCLSD4.The RENL1 mutation resulted in reduced vascular bundles,vesicular cells,cellulose,and hemicellulose contents in cell walls,diminishing the water-holding capacity of leaves.In addition,the root system of the renl1 mutant was poorly developed and its ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species(ROS)was decreased,leading to an increase in ROS after drought stress.Meanwhile,genetic results showed that RENL1 and SRL1 synergistically regulated cell wall components.Our results revealed a theoretical basis for further elucidating the molecular regulation mechanism of cellulose on rice drought tolerance,and provided a new genetic resource for enhancing the synergistic regulation network of plant type and stress resistance,thereby realizing simultaneous improvement of multiple traits in rice.

Milling degree affects the fermentation properties of rice:perspectives from the composition of nutrients and gut microbiota via in vitro fermentation

Fermentation substrates of rice with different milling degrees(MDs) were prepared and fermented with human feces to compare their fermentation properties and effects on gut microbiota.MD 0s,MD 5s and MD 60s represented brown rice,moderately-milled rice and white rice,respectively.After in vitro fermentation,the MD 5s group showed higher starch utilization,compared with the MD 0s and 60s groups evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer,and confocal laser scanning microscope.Effects of fermentation substrates of rice with different MDs on gut microbiota were evaluated by 16S rDNA sequencing.All the sample groups reduced the pH and produced short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs) and branched-chain fatty acids.The MD 5s group exhibited higher α-diversity than the MD 0s and 60s groups.Abundances of Phascolarctobacterium,Blautia and norank_f_Ruminococcaceae were higher in the MD 0s and 5s groups,compared with the MD 60s group.These bacteria were also positively correlated with the SCFAs production via Spearman correlation analysis.In vitro culture assay revealed that fermentation substrates of MD 0s and 5s promoted the growth of two probiotics(Akkermansia muciniphila and Bifidobacterium adolescentis).Our results showed that moderate milling might be an appropriate way to produce rice products with richer nutrients and better fermentation properties.

The CBL-interacting protein kinase OsCIPK1 phosphorylated by SAPK10 positively regulates responses to ABA and osmotic stress in rice

SubclassⅢsucrose nonfermenting1-related protein kinase 2s(SnRK2s)function in ABA and abiotic stress responses by unknown mechanisms.We found that osmotic stress/ABA-activated protein kinase 10(SAPK10),a member of rice SnRK2s,physically interacted with CBL-interacting protein kinase 1(OsCIPK1).OsCIPK1 expression was up-regulated by ABA and PEG treatment,and overexpression increased the ABA sensitivity of seed germination and root growth and plant osmotic stress tolerance.Osmotic stress or ABA-induced activation of OsCIPK1 is dependent on SAPK10.SAPK10 phosphorylates Thr-24 of OsCIPK1 in vitro,and this phosphorylation increases the activity of OsCIPK1 and positively regulates the function of OsCIPK1 in ABA responses and plant osmotic stress tolerance.This study suggests that OsCIPK1 is a direct phosphorylated substrate of SAPK10,and SAPK10-mediated phosphorylation of OsCIPK1 functions in ABA signaling and increases rice osmotic stress tolerance.

The ABA synthesis enzyme allele OsNCED2^(T)promotes dryland adaptation in upland rice

Upland rice shows dryland adaptation in the form of a deeper and denser root system and greater drought resistance than its counterpart,irrigated rice.Our previous study revealed a difference in the frequency of the OsNCED2 gene between upland and irrigated populations.A nonsynonymous mutation(C to T,from irrigated to upland rice)may have led to functional variation fixed by artificial selection,but the exact biological function in dryland adaptation is unclear.In this study,transgenic and association analysis indicated that the domesticated fixed mutation caused functional variation in OsNCED2,increasing ABA levels,root development,and drought tolerance in upland rice under dryland conditions.OsNCED2-overexpressing rice showed increased reactive oxygen species-scavenging abilities and transcription levels of many genes functioning in stress response and development that may regulate root development and drought tolerance.OsNCED2^(T)-NILs showed a denser root system and drought resistance,promoting the yield of rice under dryland conditions.OsNCED2^(T)may confer dryland adaptation in upland rice and may find use in breeding dryland-adapted,water-saving rice.

Changes in Leaf Stomatal Properties in Rice with the Growing Season

Transplanting rice varieties grown in different seasons can lead to different yields due to different dry matterproduction. Early-season rice varieties transplanted in the late season can obtain high yields with short-growthduration and higher yields driven by higher dry matter production. To make clear the variations in dry matterproduction across seasons, four early-season rice varieties were chosen for late-season transplantation. The grainyield, dry matter accumulation, leaf photosynthetic, and leaf stomatal properties were studied. It was observedthat the average yields of these four varieties in the late season were 33% greater, despite a reduced growth periodof 13 days in comparison with the early season. Furthermore, there was a notable increase in both total and postheadingdry matter production during the late season. The leaf net photosynthetic rate, stomatal area, stomatalwidth, and stomatal length were higher in the late season. Despite no significant difference in stomatal densitybetween seasons, strong positive linear relationships were observed between net photosynthetic rate and stomatalconductance, and between stomatal conductance and area. These relationships demonstrate that the increase ofthe stomatal width and length of the leaves in the late season leads to an increase in the stomatal area, therebyincreasing the stomatal conductance and enhancing the photosynthesis of the leaves. Consequently, this leads togreater dry matter production and a higher yield compared to the early season. Therefore, when breeding newhigh-yielding and short-growing varieties, the large stomatal area can be used as a reference index.

Coupling of reduced inorganic fertilizer with plant-based organic fertilizer as a promising fertilizer management strategy for colored rice in tropical regions

Colored rice is a type of high-quality,high-added-value rice that has attracted increasing attention in recent years.The use of large amounts of inorganic nitrogen fertilizer in rice fields results in low fertilizer use efficiency and high environmental pollution.Organic fertilizer is a promising way to improve soil quality and sustain high yields.However,most studies focus on the effect of animal-based organic fertilizers.The effects of different ratios of plantbased organic fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer on the grain yield and quality of colored rice have rarely been reported.Therefore,a two-year field experiment was conducted in 2020 and 2021 to study the effects of replacing inorganic N fertilizers with plant-based organic fertilizers on the yield,nitrogen use efficiency(NUE),and anthocyanin content of two colored rice varieties in a tropical region in China.The experimental treatments included no nitrogen fertilization(T1),100% inorganic nitrogen fertilizer(T2),30%inorganic nitrogen fertilizer substitution with plant-based organic fertilizer(T3),60%inorganic nitrogen fertilizer substitution with plant-based organic fertilizer(T4),and 100% plantbased organic fertilizer(T5).The total nitrogen provided to all the treatments except T1 was the same at 120 kg ha-1.Our results showed that the T3 treatment enhanced the grain yield and anthocyanin content of colored rice by increasing nitrogen use efficiency compared with T2.On average,grain yields were increased by 9 and 8%,while the anthocyanin content increased by 16 and 10% in the two colored rice varieties under T3 across the two years,respectively,as compared with T2.Further study of the residual effect of partial substitution of inorganic fertilizers showed that the substitution of inorganic fertilizer with plant-based organic fertilizer improved the soil physiochemical properties,and thus increased the rice grain yield,in the subsequent seasons.The highest grain yield of the subsequent rice crop was observed under the T5 treatment.Our results suggested that the application of plantbased organic fertilizers can sustain the production of colored rice with high anthocyanin content in tropical regions,which is beneficial in reconciling the relationship between rice production and environmental protection.

OsMYB84,a transcriptional regulator of OsCOPT2 and OsHMA5,modulates copper uptake and transport and yield production in rice

Transcription factors regulating crop uptake and translocation of the micronutrient Cu have not been identified.We isolated a novel R2R3-MYB transcription factor,OsMYB84,and showed that it was a positive regulator involved in uptake and transport of Cu via activation of OsCOPT2 and OsHMA expression.OsMYB84 was highly expressed in roots and anthers and induced by Cu.Overexpression of OsMYB84 promoted uptake and root-to-shoot translocation of Cu in rice,facilitated Cu distribution into grain and increased grain yield.In contrast,mutation of OsMYB84 reduced Cu concentration in xylem sap.OsMYB84 bound to the promoter region of OsCOPT2 and OsHMA5 and upregulated their expression.OsCOPT2 mutants showed reduced uptake of Cu and OsHMA5 overexpression lines showed increased root-to-shoot translocation of Cu.

Haploids can be induced in knockout mutants of OsPLA1,but not OsDMP3 or OsDMP6,in rice

Doubled haploid(DH)technology is an important tool in crop breeding because it can significantly accelerate the breeding process.ZmPLA1/MATL/NLD and ZmDMP are two key genes controlling haploid induction(HI)in maize,exhibiting a synergistic effect.However,it is unknown whether knock out of ZmDMP orthologs can stimulate HI in rice.In this study,a ZmPLA1 ortholog(OsPLA1)and two ZmDMP orthologs(OsDMP3 and OsDMP6)were identified in rice.All three genes encode plasma membrane-localized proteins and were highly expressed in mature anthers.Knockout of OsPLA1 in both Minghui 63 and Nipponbare resulted in reduced seed setting rate(SSR)and caused HI.The osdmp3,osdmp6 and the double mutant failed to trigger HI independently,nor increased the haploid induction rate(HIR)when combined with ospla1.Repeated pollinations operations of QX654A with the ospla1 mutant significantly improve SSR,while reducing HIR.RNA-seq profiling of mature ospla1 mutant anthers indicated that a large number of differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were enriched in redox homeostasis and lipid metabolic GO terms,plant hormone signal transduction,and MAPK signaling pathways.These findings provide important insights towards construction of an efficient DH breeding technology and study of the molecular mechanism of HI in rice.