Researchers Report Methods to Regulate Rice Chilling Tolerance

A study published in Plant, Cell & Environment demonstrates the potential of breeding chilling-tolerant rice by editing the OsEIL2 gene in rice. Low temperatures can significantly affect rice growth and productivity. Thus, the study also explores the OsEIN2-OsEIL1/2 pathway in increasing rice tolerance to low temperatures.

The researchers observed that rice plants overexpressing OsEIN2, OsEIL1, and OsEIL2 showed severe stress symptoms under chilling conditions, including excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). On the other hand, OsEIN2 and OsEIL1 mutants and OsEIL2-RNA interference plants (OsEIL2-Ri) exhibited enhanced chilling tolerance.

Thus, the researchers investigated the OsEIN2-OsEIL1/2 pathway in regulating ROS levels and photosynthetic capacity under chilling conditions by modulating OsICE1 activity. The results of the study show that low levels of OsEIL1 and OsEIL2 expression might confer chilling tolerance on rice seedlings. Furthermore, the study also reports that the gene editing of the OsEIL2 resulted in enhanced chilling tolerance in rice.

For more information, read the article from Plant, Cell & Environment.