China’s rice yield is expected to achieve another leap forward

Rice is divided into indica rice and japonica rice. Japonica rice is mostly planted in the north of China, while indica rice is mostly planted in the south. Since the 1970s, the Hybrid rice cultivated by Yuan Longping has mainly used the Heterosis within the indica rice species to achieve a substantial increase in rice production. However, how to use the super heterosis between indica and japonica rice species has always been the concern of breeding experts.

After 13 years of research, the research team of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Nanjing Agricultural University systematically identified the loci that cause hybrid sterility of indica and japonica rice, and conducted gene cloning and in-depth analysis of genetic and molecular mechanisms for one of the most important loci, solving the mystery of rice Reproductive isolation.

Due to the fact that indica rice and japonica rice are distant hybrids with relatively low seed setting rates, our main focus this time is to solve the mechanism problem by integrating the excellent genes of indica rice and japonica rice, as well as the two distant parents, to cultivate hybrid rice with better yield, quality, and resistance.

Experts said that breaking the Reproductive isolation between indica and japonica rice and realizing the utilization of indica and japonica Heterosis will hopefully achieve another leap in rice yield.