Integrating the dynamics of yield traits in rice in response to environmental changes

Reductions in crop yields as a consequence of global climate change threaten worldwide food security. It is therefore imperative to develop high-yielding crop plants that show sustainable production under stress conditions. In order to achieve this aim through breeding or genetic engineering, it is crucial to have a complete and comprehensive understanding of the molecular basis of plant architecture and the regulation of its sub-components that contribute to yield under stress. Rice is one of the most widely consumed crops and is adversely affected by abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity. Using it as a model system, in this review we present a summary of our current knowledge of the physiological and molecular mechanisms that determine yield traits in rice under optimal growth conditions and under conditions of environmental stress. Based on physiological functioning, we also consider the best possible combination of genes that may improve grain yield under optimal as well as environmentally stressed conditions. The principles that we present here for rice will also be useful for similar studies in other grain crops.