Chinese scientists have successfully identified a rice gene that
controls a grain's weight and are experimenting with the new
discovery to boost grain yield.
The previously unknown gene, called GW2, is responsible for
limiting a grain's size and weight, said scientists with the
National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics in
Shanghai.
Lin Hongxuan, one of the researchers, said a weaker dominance of
the gene could speed up the splitting of grain cells and enlarge
the size, which would lead to higher weight and output.
Scientists have picked out the gene in existing large-grain
varieties in which the GW2 gene is relatively recessive and
introduced it into small-grain varieties.
This led to new varieties from grains larger than the original.
Though each rice spike contained fewer grains as they grew larger
and heavier, the overall weight still increased markedly.
While scientists agree this discovery will be valuable for
improving grain yield, they stress that it's too early to predict
how it would enhance the rice output if applied in a paddy
field.
Their research results have been published on the website of
Nature Genetics on April 8, while all the three judges
described it as a landmark discovery in rice cultivation.
Earlier reports said Lin's?research team?had also
identified the gene controlling the grain's quantity.
They were also working on that gene in the hope of controlling
both quantity and quality and producing varieties with higher
yields.
(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2007)