Research Pinpoints Key Gene in Enhancing Drought Tolerance in Rice

Hunan Agricultural University researchers reported a chalcone isomerase gene that confers drought tolerance to rice through scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) via flavonoid and SBA metabolic pathways. Their findings are published in the March 2025 issue of The Crop Journal.

Chalcone isomerase gene (OsCHI) is a vital gene in flavonoid production and in the abiotic stress response of rice plants. Thus, the researchers investigated the specific role of OsCHI3 in drought tolerance. They overexpressed the gene in rice plants and observed significant improvement in drought stress tolerance. On the other hand, deletion of the gene using CRISPR led to a reduction in the drought tolerance of rice plants. This response was reversed when the plants were exposed to ABA treatment.

Further analyses revealed that flavonoids regulated by OsCHI3 not only scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) but also increase drought tolerance in rice by stimulating ABA biosynthesis through the regulation of OsNCED1 and OsABA8ox3 expression.

The findings of the study contribute new insights into breeding drought-tolerant rice varieties.

Read the research article in The Crop Journal.