Japanese scientists have developed a new variety of rice with stiff leaves, significantly increasing yield while reducing fertilizer usage in the fields.
Specifically, Tomoaki Sakamoto from the University of Tokyo and his colleagues have removed certain genes from 34 different rice varieties. The goal is to avoid creating genetically modified organisms (GMOs) by selecting desired traits from other varieties.
One of the varieties lacks the OsDWARF4 gene, which controls the production of a growth-promoting chemical. As a result, this rice variety has normal leaves but they are very stiff. The removal of the OsDWARF4 gene does not affect the flowering process or the quality of the rice grains.
For a long time, scientists have been trying to create a rice variety with stiff leaves, believing that such a variety would enhance productivity. Stiff-leaved rice allows sunlight to reach the lower leaves of the plant, enhancing the photosynthesis process and thus increasing yield. The stiff leaves also enable farmers to plant rice more closely together without affecting growth.
Previous attempts to develop a rice variety with such characteristics by removing certain genes often hindered rice growth or resulted in varieties with poor grain quality.
The new rice variety also addresses the issue of excessive fertilizer usage. Its yield is 30% higher than that of conventional rice, yet it does not require daily applications of fertilizer.
Minh Sơn (According to Science)
