Study Pinpoints Regulator of Cold Stress Tolerance in Rice

Researchers at Qiannan Normal University for Nationalities in China reported that OsNCED5 confers cold stress tolerance by regulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis in rice. Their findings are published in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry.

Cold stress is a serious problem that impacts the growth and yield of rice. The molecular mechanism behind the role of plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) in managing cold stress remains undefined. OsNCED5, a chloroplast-localized ABA biosynthetic enzyme, is strongly induced by cold stress. The researchers used CRISPR-Cas9 to disrupt the function of OsNCED5, which led to a significant reduction in ABA content and cold stress tolerance during the seedling stage.  Furthermore, when OsNCED5 was overexpressed, enhanced cold stress tolerance of rice seedlings was observed. They also found that OsNCED5 mainly regulates cold stress tolerance by regulating reactive oxygen species homeostasis.

Based on the findings, OsNCED5 is involved in the cold stress tolerance of rice and could be used as a target gene for improving the trait.

Read more findings from the Plant Physiology and Biochemistry journal.