Advances in Rice Seed Shattering

Abstract

Seed shattering is an important trait that wild rice uses to adapt to the natural environment and maintain population reproduction, and weedy rice also uses it to compete with the rice crop. The loss of shattering is a key event in rice domestication. The degree of shattering is not only one of the main reasons for rice yield reduction but also affects its adaptability to modern mechanical harvesting methods. Therefore, it is important to cultivate rice varieties with a moderate shattering degree. In this paper, the research progress on rice seed shattering in recent years is reviewed, including the physiological basis, morphological and anatomical characteristics of rice seed shattering, inheritance and QTL/gene mapping of rice seed shattering, the molecular mechanism regulating rice seed shattering, the application of seed-shattering genes, and the relationship between seed-shattering genes and domestication.

Experimental methods for phenotypic and molecular analyses of seed shattering in cultivated and weedy rice

“…However, these steps have not been verified in such detail in rice. The process of abscission can vary among populations and is influenced by environmental conditions and phenological stages of development, with the participation of plant hormones (mainly ethylene and auxins) and several molecular factors (Wu et al, 2023).…”

“…To date, at least 61 shattering QTLs and 12 genes with some degree of importance for shattering have been identified in cultivated rice, as summarized in Wu et al (2023). In weedy rice, 40 chromosomal regions have been reported to have some degree of influence on the shattering trait (Table 1) (Bres-Patry et al, 2001;Gu et al, 2005;Subudhi et al, 2014;Thurber et al, 2013;Yao et al, 2015;Qi et al, 2015;Mispan et al, 2013;Oh et al, 2004;Sun et al, 2019).…”

“…The genetic basis of and the influence of environmental factors on seed shattering have been recently reviewed (Maity et al, 2021;Wu et al, 2023). However, there is no concise synthesis of the methods used to evaluate seed shattering in cultivated and weedy rice.…”

Advances in Molecular Plant Sciences

“…Seed size regulation, a determinant of crop yield, was also comprehensively reviewed by Zhang et al, providing valuable insights into regulatory pathways governing seed size and enhancing agricultural productivity [ 12 ]. More importantly, Wu et al offered a thorough review of recent advancements in understanding rice seed shattering, providing a holistic perspective on this agriculturally significant trait [ 13 ]. The abovementioned studies deepen our understanding of plant life cycles from molecular mechanisms underlying key developmental processes to environmental cues shaping growth and senescence.…”