Elite haplotype of STRONG1 enhances rice yield by improving lodging resistance, panicle and plant architecture
Abstract Culm diameter directly affects lodging and yield traits in cereal crops. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of these interrelated, complex agronomic traits remain unclear. Here, we identify a quantitative trait locus for culm diameter in rice (Oryza sativa) and cloned the candidat...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60604-9 |
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| author | Yong Zhao Jie Gao Xiaohong Wang Muhammad Abdul Rehman Rashid Zewen Wu Zhiqi Ma Hui Wu Bingxia Xu Zhenyuan Wu Yunsong Gu Yinghua Pan Danting Li Ruiying Wang Zhenhua Guo Wendong Ma Xingming Sun Jinjie Li Hongliang Zhang Tonglin Mao Zhanying Zhang Zichao Li |
| author_facet | Yong Zhao Jie Gao Xiaohong Wang Muhammad Abdul Rehman Rashid Zewen Wu Zhiqi Ma Hui Wu Bingxia Xu Zhenyuan Wu Yunsong Gu Yinghua Pan Danting Li Ruiying Wang Zhenhua Guo Wendong Ma Xingming Sun Jinjie Li Hongliang Zhang Tonglin Mao Zhanying Zhang Zichao Li |
| author_sort | Yong Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Culm diameter directly affects lodging and yield traits in cereal crops. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of these interrelated, complex agronomic traits remain unclear. Here, we identify a quantitative trait locus for culm diameter in rice (Oryza sativa) and cloned the candidate gene, STRONG1. This gene encodes MICROTUBULE-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN 70 (MAP70), which localizes to cortical microtubules and alters the arrangement of the microtubule skeleton. Knockout or knockdown of STRONG1 enhances grain yield by synchronously improving lodging resistance, panicle architecture, and plant architecture. One single-nucleotide polymorphism, SNP − 1304 (C to A), in a MYB61-binding site within the STRONG1 promoter affects its expression, resulting in changes in cellulose content and sclerenchyma cell wall development. Rice accessions harboring the Hap-STRONG1 C haplotype derived from wild rice, with reduced STRONG1 expression, show enhanced lodging resistance and yield, compared to accessions carrying Hap-STRONG1 A. Knockout of STRONG1 results in a 9.3–15.4% increase in yield, compared to the wild type in a field plot trial. Knockout of STRONG1 also improves panicle and plant architecture, facilitating high-density planting. This study provides a candidate gene for the development of improved rice varieties with stable, high yields. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-26474783014f4e7d8f76f5bb0954800e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-26474783014f4e7d8f76f5bb0954800e2025-08-20T04:01:36ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111410.1038/s41467-025-60604-9Elite haplotype of STRONG1 enhances rice yield by improving lodging resistance, panicle and plant architectureYong Zhao0Jie Gao1Xiaohong Wang2Muhammad Abdul Rehman Rashid3Zewen Wu4Zhiqi Ma5Hui Wu6Bingxia Xu7Zhenyuan Wu8Yunsong Gu9Yinghua Pan10Danting Li11Ruiying Wang12Zhenhua Guo13Wendong Ma14Xingming Sun15Jinjie Li16Hongliang Zhang17Tonglin Mao18Zhanying Zhang19Zichao Li20Sanya Institute of China Agricultural UniversitySanya Institute of China Agricultural UniversityState Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry; Department of Plant Sciences, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural UniversitySanya Institute of China Agricultural UniversityFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural UniversityFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural UniversityFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural UniversityFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural UniversityFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural UniversityFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural UniversityRice Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural SciencesRice Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural SciencesRice Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural SciencesRice Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural SciencesRice Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural SciencesSanya Institute of China Agricultural UniversitySanya Institute of China Agricultural UniversitySanya Institute of China Agricultural UniversityState Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry; Department of Plant Sciences, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural UniversitySanya Institute of China Agricultural UniversitySanya Institute of China Agricultural UniversityAbstract Culm diameter directly affects lodging and yield traits in cereal crops. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of these interrelated, complex agronomic traits remain unclear. Here, we identify a quantitative trait locus for culm diameter in rice (Oryza sativa) and cloned the candidate gene, STRONG1. This gene encodes MICROTUBULE-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN 70 (MAP70), which localizes to cortical microtubules and alters the arrangement of the microtubule skeleton. Knockout or knockdown of STRONG1 enhances grain yield by synchronously improving lodging resistance, panicle architecture, and plant architecture. One single-nucleotide polymorphism, SNP − 1304 (C to A), in a MYB61-binding site within the STRONG1 promoter affects its expression, resulting in changes in cellulose content and sclerenchyma cell wall development. Rice accessions harboring the Hap-STRONG1 C haplotype derived from wild rice, with reduced STRONG1 expression, show enhanced lodging resistance and yield, compared to accessions carrying Hap-STRONG1 A. Knockout of STRONG1 results in a 9.3–15.4% increase in yield, compared to the wild type in a field plot trial. Knockout of STRONG1 also improves panicle and plant architecture, facilitating high-density planting. This study provides a candidate gene for the development of improved rice varieties with stable, high yields.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60604-9 |
| spellingShingle | Yong Zhao Jie Gao Xiaohong Wang Muhammad Abdul Rehman Rashid Zewen Wu Zhiqi Ma Hui Wu Bingxia Xu Zhenyuan Wu Yunsong Gu Yinghua Pan Danting Li Ruiying Wang Zhenhua Guo Wendong Ma Xingming Sun Jinjie Li Hongliang Zhang Tonglin Mao Zhanying Zhang Zichao Li Elite haplotype of STRONG1 enhances rice yield by improving lodging resistance, panicle and plant architecture Nature Communications |
| title | Elite haplotype of STRONG1 enhances rice yield by improving lodging resistance, panicle and plant architecture |
| title_full | Elite haplotype of STRONG1 enhances rice yield by improving lodging resistance, panicle and plant architecture |
| title_fullStr | Elite haplotype of STRONG1 enhances rice yield by improving lodging resistance, panicle and plant architecture |
| title_full_unstemmed | Elite haplotype of STRONG1 enhances rice yield by improving lodging resistance, panicle and plant architecture |
| title_short | Elite haplotype of STRONG1 enhances rice yield by improving lodging resistance, panicle and plant architecture |
| title_sort | elite haplotype of strong1 enhances rice yield by improving lodging resistance panicle and plant architecture |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60604-9 |
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