Gene Knockout Provides Insights to Reducing Cadmium in Rice Grains

Experts from China's National Rice Research Institute studied a rice gene (OsHMA3) that can help keep cadmium out of the grains. Their open-access paper is published in Plant Growth Regulation.

Cadmium is a heavy metal that can build up in plants and cause harm to people who consume them. Using the CRISPR gene editing tool, the researchers turned off OsHMA3, and this led to rice plants with more sensitivity to cadmium. While less cadmium was detected in the root, more cadmium accumulated in the grains. Furthermore, turning off the gene also led to disrupted plant growth, as the plants were observed to exhibit shorter plant height and lower seed setting rate compared to wild-type plants.

The findings suggest that OsHMA3 is vital to controlling cadmium sensitivity and growth in rice.

Read the open-access article in Plant Growth Regulation.