GS6.1 controls kernel size and plant architecture in rice

Abstract

Kernel size and plant architecture are critical agronomic traits that greatly in uence kernel yield in rice. We identi ed a novel quantitative trait locus (QTL), named GS6.1, which regulates kernel size and plant architecture in rice. Near isogenic line-GS6.1 (NIL-GS6.1) produces long and narrow kernels by regulating cell length and width in the hull, thus increasing the 1000-kernel weight. Compared with the control, the plant height, panicles per plant, panicle length, kernels per plant, and secondary branches per panicle of NIL-GS6.1 are increased. In addition, GS6.1 regulates the kernel lling rate. GS6.1 controls kernel size at least in part through regulating the transcription levels of EXPA13, EXPA19, EXPB14, GS2, GS3, GL3, GL6, OML4, GL7, and GL10. These results indicate that GS6.1 might be bene cial for improving kernel yield and plant architecture in rice breeding by molecular design.