Abstract
Background Reduction in rice yield caused by high temperature-induced spikelet sterility has been a serious concern in rice production. To date, several screening methods have been used, although their reproducibility is sometimes poor due to artifacts mainly caused by varietal differences in heading dates and panicle heights (i.e., the distance from the lamps).MethodsWe have developed a novel assay system for heat-induced spikelet sterility by using artificial rice paddies in phytotrons to conduct a highly reproducible assay throughout a year. Plants restricted to the main culm were treated under a series of heat conditions, and height uniformity of each plant was ensured by using height-adjustable pots.ResultsResults suggested that a 3-day heat treatment of 35 °C-day/29 °C-night cycles was the most suitable condition. Under the treatment, two distinct groups were identified among nine heat tolerant cultivars, with no varietal difference in panicle temperature, indicating that the system is capable of eliminating the varietal difference in panicle temperature.ConclusionsIt is concluded that the assay system would be a powerful tool for selecting heat tolerant varieties, as well as the analysis of genetic factors from various cultivars, eliminating potential artifacts.
Highlights
Reduction in rice yield caused by high temperature-induced spikelet sterility has been a serious concern in rice production
The impact on rice yield in Japan following further global warming using a crop simulation model suggested that the increasing high temperature tolerance by approximately 1.5 °C during the flowering period would greatly reduce the incidence of spikelet sterility [4, 14]
High temperature treatment On heading day, the potted plants were transferred to another phytotron, and exposed to cycles of 30–36 °C (13 h light)/26–30 °C (11 h dark) at 60% relative humidity (RH) for 3 days
Summary
Reduction in rice yield caused by high temperature-induced spikelet sterility has been a serious concern in rice production. As air temperatures increase, spikelet sterility caused by high temperatures is expected to become a serious problem in rice production globally, including Japan, as simulated by Horie et al [4]. The instability of rice production will be enhanced owing to the increased frequency of heat-induced spikelet sterility [6]. The impact on rice yield in Japan following further global warming using a crop simulation model suggested that the increasing high temperature tolerance by approximately 1.5 °C during the flowering period would greatly reduce the incidence of spikelet sterility [4, 14]. The optimal conditions for assaying heat-induced spikelet sterility have not been established
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