In this study, we compared genome-wide transcriptome profile of two rice hybrids, one with (test hybrid IR79156A/IL50-13) and the other without (control hybrid IR79156A/KMR3) O. rufipogon introgressions to identify candidate genes related to grain yield in the test hybrid. IL50-13 (Chinsurah Nona2 IET21943) the male parent (restorer) used in the test hybrid, is an elite BC 4 f 8 introgression line of KMR3 with O. rufipogon introgressions. We identified 2798 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in flag leaf and 3706 DEGs in panicle. Overall, 78 DEGs were within the major yield QTL qyld2.1 and 25 within minor QTL qyld8.2. The DEGs were significantly (p < 0.05) enriched in starch synthesis, phenyl propanoid pathway, ubiquitin degradation and phytohormone related pathways in test hybrid compared to control hybrid. Sequence analysis of 136 DEGs from KMR3 and IL50-13 revealed 19 DEGs with SNP/InDel variations. Of the 19 DEGs only 6 showed both SNP and InDel variations in exon regions. Of these, two DEGs within qyld2.1, Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) (Os02t0626400-01, OsPAL2) showed 184 SNPs and 11 InDel variations and Similar to phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (Os02t0627100-01, OsPAL4) showed 205 SNPs and 13 InDel variations. Both PAL genes within qyld2.1 and derived from O. rufipogon are high priority candidate genes for increasing grain yield in rice. Rice (Oryza sativa) is an important food crop providing 20% of daily calories to more than 50 percent of global population. Nearly 90% of rice is produced and consumed in Asia. The continuous increase in human population, especially in Asia, poses a major challenge to food security. Therefore, enhancing grain yield is the primary thrust area of plant breeders. Hybrid rice can help increase productivity by 10-20% more than conventional varieties 1. Currently, the highest-yielding rice hybrids are developed from inter-subspecific crosses between indica and japonica 2-5. Wild species have been used to breed parental lines for yield improvement in derived rice hybrids 6-10. Flag leaf is the most essential functional organ to produce a large proportion of photo-assimilates that are stored in grains 11,12. It is estimated that it contributes around 32.3% of total carbohydrates during grain filling 13. The panicle morphology also directly affects the number and size of seeds and also determines grain yield in rice 14-16. Flag leaf and panicles have been used previously at different developmental stages to unravel gene expression in pollen development and genetic networks that control panicle branching and architecture 17,18. The spatial and temporal expression profiles of genes during 19 vegetative and reproductive stages of organ development were analysed to identify stage-preferential/stage-specific genes in IR64 variety and anther-specific genes in Pusa Basmati1 variety 19,20. A whole-genome oligonucleotide microarray of super hybrid LYP9 (Liangyoupeijiu) and its parents 9311 and PA64s in 7 different tissues showed that differentially expressed genes for energy metabolism i...