Crop Biotech Update

Broad-spectrum Disease Resistance in Rice through CRISPR

June 29, 2023

Salicylic acid (SA) is a hormone that helps plants combat diseases. In a study published in Plant Biotechnology Journal, researchers from Hunan Agricultural University, China, reported three salicylic acid 5-hydroxylase (OsS5H) genes that play critical roles in SA signaling in rice.

Using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology, rice overexpressing the three genes led to greater susceptibility to bacterial blight and rice blast. This result is attributed to the OsS5H genes' influence in the production of reactive oxygen species, molecules that help rice ward off infection. Simultaneous mutation of the three genes led to broad-spectrum resistance. Furthermore, the OsS5H genes were also found to be involved in the regulation of other plant processes, such as flowering and seed development. This finding suggests that OsS5H genes could be targeted to enhance other traits in rice, such as yield and quality.

Read the research article in the Plant Biotechnology Journal.


You might also like: