Recent research from an international team, including scholars from the University of Oxford and Nanjing Agricultural University, has unveiled significant insights into rice genetics that could enhance yields in nitrogen-poor soils. Their study, published in Science, focuses on the gene OsWRI1a, which plays a crucial role in the plant’s response to nitrogen availability.
Conventional farming often relies heavily on nitrogen fertilizers, which pose both economic and environmental challenges. The study reveals that rice plants with a non-functional variant of the OsWRI1a gene struggle to grow roots in low-nitrogen conditions, leading to reduced yields. In contrast, enhancing the expression of this gene resulted in a notable increase in root and shoot growth, demonstrating a potential pathway to improve rice production sustainably.
Field trials conducted in China indicated that rice cultivars with stronger allele variants of WRINKLED1a achieved yield increases of up to 23.7% under low nitrogen conditions. This research not only highlights a promising target for sustainable agricultural practices but also opens avenues for similar genetic strategies in other staple crops, potentially addressing global food security challenges.
Start your 7-day trial and see what the database can do →
