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A gene controlling the number of primary rachis branches also controls the vascular bundle formation and hence is responsible to increase the harvest index and grain yield in rice

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Abstract

The quantitative trait locus controlling the number of primary rachis branches (PRBs) in rice was identified using backcrossed inbred lines of Sasanishiki/Habataki//Sasanishiki///Sasanishiki. The resultant gene was ABERRANT PANICLE ORGANIZATION 1 (APO1). Habataki-genotype segregated reciprocal recombinant lines for the APO1 locus increased both the number of PRB (12–13%) and the number of grains per panicle (9–12%), which increased the grain yield per plant (5–7%). Further recombination dividing this region revealed that different alleles regulated the number of PRB and the number of grains per panicle. The PRB1 allele, which includes the APO1 open reading frame (ORF) and the proximal promoter region, controlled only the number of PRB but not the number of grains per panicle. In contrast, the HI1 allele, which includes only the distal promoter region, increased the grain yield and harvest index in Habataki-genotype plants, nevertheless, the ORF expressed was Sasanishiki type. It also increased the number of large vascular bundles in the peduncle. APO1 expression occurred not only in developing panicles but also in the developing vascular bundle systems. In addition, Habataki plants displayed increased APO1 expression in comparison to Sasanishiki plants. It suggests that APO1 enhances the formation of vascular bundle systems which, consequently, promote carbohydrate translocation to panicles. The HI1 allele is suggested to regulate the amount of APO1 expression, and thereby control the development of vascular bundle systems. These findings may be useful to improve grain yield as well as quality through the improvement of translocation efficiency.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a Grant-in-aid from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MAFF) of Japan (Bio-design project 1998–2007). SAS submission was performed with the assistance of the Computer Center for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research, MAFF, Japan. We thank Prof. K Shimamoto of Nara Inst. Sci Tec. for providing p2K1+ vector. We are also grateful to Mr. Tokuya Genba, Mr. Tuyoshi Kotake, Mr. Tetsuya Aota, Mr. Masanori Ichihashi, Mr. Shinobu Yuminamochi, Ms. Keiko Nozaki, Ms. Kiiko Takatsuto and Ms. Setsuko Hayashi for their excellent technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rice Physiology Research Sub-Team, Hokuriku Research Center, National Agricultural Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2-1, Inada, Joetsu, Niigata, 943-0193, Japan

    Tomio Terao & Tatsuro Hirose

  2. Rice Physiology Research Sub-Team, National Agricultural Research Center for Western Region, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 6-12-1 Nishi-fukatsucho, Fukuyama, Hiroshima, 721-8514, Japan

    Kenji Nagata

  3. Rice Genetic Engineering Research Sub-Team, Hokuriku Research Center, National Agricultural Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2-1, Inada, Joetsu, Niigata, 943-0193, Japan

    Kazuko Morino

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  1. Tomio Terao
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Correspondence to Tomio Terao.

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Communicated by Y. Xu.

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Terao, T., Nagata, K., Morino, K. et al. A gene controlling the number of primary rachis branches also controls the vascular bundle formation and hence is responsible to increase the harvest index and grain yield in rice. Theor Appl Genet 120, 875–893 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-009-1218-8

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