Scientists discover rice gene that boosts yields, reduces fertilizer needs
Scientists have discovered a rice gene that lets plants grow more grain while needing less fertilizer, a win for both farmers and the environment.
The research was an international collaboration between research teams in China and the UK with teams from China and the UK.
The gene helps rice plants balance their roots and shoots
The OsWRI1a gene helps rice plants balance their roots and shoots, across varying nitrogen levels.
It also boosts branching (which means more places for grains to grow) and makes the plant use nitrogen more efficiently.
Field trials show nearly 24% higher yields with less fertilizer
Researchers introgressed a superior OsWRI1a allele into japonica rice varieties, leading to nearly 24% higher yields with less fertilizer in field trials.
For countries like India, where rice is huge and fertilizer use is high, this could mean more food, lower costs, and less pollution.