Oral Presentation International Plant Molecular Biology Conference 2024

Developing a promising genomic breeding system for future rice (#266)

Yidan Ouyang 1 , Haichao Jiang 1 , Conghao Xu 1 , Xu Li 1 , Sibin Yu 1 , Qifa Zhang 1
  1. National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China

Producing sufficient food with finite resources remains a great challenge. To promote sustainable agriculture, a genomic breeding strategy might be implemented to create resource-saving and environment-friendly Green Super Rice. The foremost prerequisite is to determine the target green genes for less pesticide, less fertilizer, less irrigation, and high yield and quality. One challenge for breeding programs of self-pollinating species is hand emasculation, which is highly labour-intensive and economically costly. A promising strategy is the introduction of dominant genic male sterility, which may completely eliminate the need for hand emasculation in crossing, although such genetic resources are extremely rare in natural germplasm. We map-based cloned the Sanming Dominant Genic Male Sterility (SDGMS) gene in rice, which will fundamentally improve the efficiency of the breeding process by facilitating outcrossing for diverse breeding programs. Another challenge is that the existing CMS systems, which have been widely exploited in hybrid rice, encounter difficulties due to either fertility instability or complications of two-locus inheritance or both. We characterized a new type of CMS, Fujian Abortive cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS-FA), with stable sporophytic male sterility and a nuclear restorer gene that completely restores hybrid fertility. This provides a highly promising system for future hybrid rice breeding. On this basis, whole-genome breeding platforms such as high-throughput genotyping methods and workable speed breeding systems would further accelerate breeding efficiency. With the integration of abundant genetic resources, innovative breeding systems, and highly efficient platforms, there will be a new horizon in genomic breeding toward green and nutritious rice.