Pyramiding Breeding of Low-Glutelin-Content Indica Rice with Good Quality and Resistance

Area of Science:

• Plant breeding
• Genetics
• Nutritional science

Background:

• Low-glutelin rice is vital for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, requiring new varieties with improved traits.
• Developing functional rice with enhanced agronomic characteristics is crucial for dietary management and public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a novel low-glutelin indica rice variety with superior agronomic traits and disease resistance.
• To investigate gene expression differences related to biotic resistance in the developed rice variety.

Main Methods:

• Utilized molecular-marker-assisted selection and traditional crossbreeding techniques.
• Crossbred cultivars W3660, Wushansimiao (WSSM), and Nantaixiangzhan (NTXZ), incorporating key functional alleles (Lgc-1, Pi-2, Xa23, fgr).
• Performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to analyze gene expression profiles.

Main Results:

• Successfully developed 'Yishenxiangsimiao' (YSXSM), a low-glutelin indica rice with dual resistance to blast and bacterial blight (BB).
• YSXSM exhibits high-quality, fragrant grains and inherits desirable traits from parent lines.
• RNA-seq analysis revealed higher biotic-resistance gene expression in YSXSM compared to NTXZ.

Conclusions:

• 'Yishenxiangsimiao' is a novel low-glutelin indica rice variety with excellent agronomic traits, disease resistance, and nutritional benefits.
• This cultivar provides a stable, healthy food source for CKD patients and a nutritious option for the general population.
• The study highlights the potential of targeted breeding for functional foods addressing specific health needs.