Germination Of Rice Research Articles

Cyst hatching and nauplii vitality of <em>Artemia salina</em> treated with different potencies of Silicea terra

This study is a preliminary step of the Terra Project, a multicentric study aiming to develop methods for improving agriculture and husbandry production through potentized high dilutions (dynamized products), popularly known as “agro-homeopathy.” The present data reflect the characterization of the biological effects of different potencies of Silicea terra on the Artemia salina model concerning cyst hatching, nauplii vitality, and heat shock proteins (HSPs) gene expression, following the standards previously established to study bio-resilience processes [1]. Later, a similar protocol will be tested in rice germination in greenhouses to compose the whole data framework. Herein, the following potencies of Silicea terra were used: 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, and 30cH, all prepared in purified sterile water (PSW). PSW and succussed PSW were used as controls. The potencies and controls were poured into the seawater (10% of the volume) at the moment of cyst seeding using 96-well plates kept at room temperature (average 25oC). All experiment steps were run during the full moon phase due to the high sensitivity of Artemia spp to the circalunar cycle. Two protocols were tested: (a) the constant temperature for 48 hours of incubation and (b) the exposition to one hour of thermic stress (40oC) after 24 hours of incubation. The samples were tested in octuplicate, and each data point was defined as a well containing 5 to 8 cysts. After 24 and 48 hours, the following parameters were evaluated: cyst hatching rate, nauplii vitality (number of live nauplii/total of cysts per well), and nauplii lethality (number of dead nauplii/total of cysts per well). After 48 hours, the remaining biological material was pooled according to each treatment, including a supplementary series of no-treated wells (baseline control), and the mRNA was extracted for further assay of HSP gene expression (HSP40, HSP90, HSP26, and p26). The statistical analysis was made by two-way ANOVA and Tukey test to compare potencies and controls in the function of time, being α=0.05. Lagrangian statistics was used to evaluate the linear time-dependent response in the function of the potencies. Among the different potencies, the 24cH showed a significant reduction in the lethality rate and a significant increase in the hatching and vitality rates when exposed to thermic stress. These data were similar to the baseline standards. The Lagrangian statistics showed a linear relation between time and potencies. The evaluation of HSP gene expression is still in course. This step concludes that Silicea terra 24cH is a good model for the embryo development of Artemia salina and bio-resilience. Both statistical approaches are valuable tools to characterize the mode of action of Silicea terra on biological systems, giving scientific plausibility for its further use in food production chains. Since Artemia salina are non-sentient animals, there is no need for ethical committee approval.

Morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses of rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties to drought stress via regulating respiration and ROS metabolism during germination

Germination marks a pivotal and sensitive phase in the life cycle of crops, with drought stress, precipitated by water scarcity, posing a significant impediment to the germination process in rice. Despite this, the regulation mechanism of respiratory and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism during rice germination under drought stress remains to be fully elucidated. This manuscript presents an integrative analysis encompassing morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular attributes of germinated seeds from a cultivated drought-sensitive rice variety (JN10) and a drought-resistant rice variety (NG36). Our findings revealed that drought stress adversely affected the germination of both rice varieties, with NG36 exhibiting a more rapid germination rate compared to JN10 under such stress conditions. This differential response was attributed to the heightened activity of key enzymes, elevated levels of metabolic intermediates, and upregulated expression of genes encoding enzymes involved in ROS and respiratory metabolic pathways in NG36. To further dissect the interplay between these metabolic pathways, we selected specific enzyme activities for detailed examination. Notably, a robust positive linear correlation was established among phosphofructokinase (PFK), α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (KGDH), citrate synthase (CS), and isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) in NG36. This correlation underscores the pivotal role of glycolytic pathways, particularly the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, in conferring drought resistance to NG36 during the germination phase under drought stress. To encapsulate our findings, the results of this investigation suggest that the rice cultivar NG36 manifests a heightened degree of drought tolerance relative to JN10. This is primarily achieved through the adept modulation of its respiratory metabolic pathways and the stringent preservation of ROS homeostasis during the germination phase under conditions of water deficit. These revelations provide unprecedented insights into the intricate regulatory mechanisms that subserve rice's drought resistance, potentially paving the way for the development of novel strategies in the breeding of rice cultivars with improved drought resilience.

OsPUKI, a PfkB protein, regulates seed germination in rice by influencing ABA synthesis

Rice seed germination is a crucial phase in rice growth and development, but its molecular mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the function of rice pfkB family gene OsPUKI in seed germination. Compared with WT (ZH11), ospuki mutants showed delayed seed germination and shorter shoot length. QRT-PCR results showed that OsPUKI was highly expressed in leaves and developing seeds of 21-day after pollination, and was highly expressed at the early stage of seed germination. GC-MS analysis demonstrated that content of abscisic acid (ABA) in ospuki-3 was higher than that in WT. QRT-PCR analysis revealed that ospuki mutants had higher transcription levels of ABA synthesis-related genes OsNCED2, OsNCED3, OsNCED4, and OsZEP1. Furthermore, it was shown that ospuki mutants were more sensitive to fluridone (Flu) during seed germination and seedling growth than WT according to exogenous Flu treatment experiments. In short, our findings suggest that OsPUKI may positively regulates rice seed germination by influencing ABA synthesis.

Magnetic field improvement of the germination of brown rice in the absence/presence of gibberellin: Changes in α-amylase activity and starch structural and physicochemical properties

Germination could improve the sensory and nutritional value of brown rice (BR), and magnetic field (MF) is considered as a promising technique for enhancing germination. However, the mechanism underlying MF-enhanced germination of BR remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, BR was exposed to MF (10 mT, 60 min, 25 °C), germinated in the absence/presence of gibberellin (GA) solution (20 mg/L, 30 °C) for 36 h, and subsequently the mechanism was explored by assessing germination index, endogenous GA content, relevant gene expression, α-amylase activity, and α-amylase action on rice starch. Results indicated that with MF treatment, the shoot and root length of BR increased by 10.4% and 22.9%, respectively. MF treatment upregulated the gene expression related to α-amylase by 0–110.2%, activated α-amylase by 11.0%, led to the hydrolysis of starch into more reducing sugars by 9.2% and thus provided additional energy for BR germination. Post-germination, pores appeared on BR starch surface, and there was a decrease in its relative crystallinity, pasting temperature, and enthalpy. Compared with MF, the combination of MF and GA treatments (GM) showed a more pronounced effect on germination, which further confirmed that MF might enhance BR germination by activating α-amylase through the GA pathway. Overall, this study extended the knowledge of MF-assisted germination, which provided a guidance for the applications of MF in food and agricultural industries.

Analysis of Drought Stress Effect on Inpari Germination: Survival Method

Drought stress using mannitol can inhibit the germination of rice variety seeds. These studies typically produce time-to-event data and censored observation. Survival analysis techniques are valuable for accounting for these non-germination events, as they describe how germination probability changes over time based on the likelihood of seed development. Until now, there have not been survival studies regarding rice germination affected by drought stress in Indonesia. Thus, we investigated the germination probability of three rice varieties (Inpari 19, Inpari 32, and Inpari 49) under drought stress using survival analysis. The seeds were germinated in 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% concentrations of mannitol and evaluated daily over 14 days. Our results demonstrated that higher mannitol concentrations significantly decreased the germination percentage and delayed germination time. The survival rates varied significantly between different mannitol concentrations, highlighting the adverse effects of drought stress. However, there was no significant difference in the probability of seed germination among the varieties treated with 2% mannitol. Among the varieties studied, Inpari 19 is more likely to be drought-resistant compared to Inpari 32 and Inpari 49. It is based on the highest germination percentage, shortest germination time, and highest probability of germination compared.

Effect of environmental factors on seed germination and seedling emergence of weedy rice (Oryza sativa f. spontanea) in China

Abstract Weedy rice (Oryza sativa f. spontanea Auct. ex Backer) is a troublesome annual weed from the Gramineae family and infests rice (Oryza sativa L.) fields globally, with a notable presence in China. However, limited information is available regarding the effects of diverse environmental factors on its germination and emergence. A better understanding of the seed biology and ecology of weedy rice is crucial for developing effective weed management strategies. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of temperature, light, soil burial depth, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop residue amount, salt stress, osmotic stress, and radiant heat on the germination and seedling emergence of weedy rice. Weedy rice exhibited robust germination (>98%) when exposed to varying day/night temperatures (20/15 to 35/30 C) and remained unaffected by light conditions. Seedling emergence was not influenced within the top 5-cm soil layer, where 100% of the seedlings emerged. However, emergence decreased as the soil burial depth increased, eventually resulting in no emergence from a burial depth of 11 cm. The soil burial depth required for 50% of the maximum emergence was 8.3 cm. Seedling emergence ranged from 97% to 100% across different amounts of the wheat straw residue cover (0 to 10,000 kg ha−1). The sodium chloride concentration and osmotic potential required for 50% were 230.8 mM and −0.5 MPa, respectively. No germination was observed when weedy rice seeds were exposed to >110 C pretreatment (radiant heat for 5 min), indicating that residue burning could reduce infestation of weedy rice. The insights gained from this study contribute valuable knowledge to enhance the integrated management of weedy rice in China.

Eco-friendly green synthesised nano iron particles from weed leaf extract: a potential nutritional source for enhancing the germination and yield of aerobic rice

Eco-friendly green synthesised nano iron particles from weed leaf extract: a potential nutritional source for enhancing the germination and yield of aerobic rice

OsNAL11 and OsGASR9 Regulate the Low-Temperature Germination of Rice Seeds by Affecting GA Content

Low temperatures cause serious threat to rice seed emergence, which has become one of the main limiting factors in the production of direct seeding rice. It is of great importance to study the genes controlling low-temperature tolerance during seed germination and to mine the possible regulatory mechanism for developing new rice varieties with immense low-temperature germination ability. In the current research study, two types of mutants of nal11 and gasr9, derived from the WT (wild type) ZH11, were used for the analysis of low-temperature germinability. The results showed that the nal11 and gasr9 mutants displayed no significant difference in germination rate with ZH11 at room temperature, but the mutants showed significantly lower germination rates, germination potential and germination index, and slowed seedling growth in the simulated direct seeding experiments at low temperatures compared to ZH11. Additionally, the activity of POD, SOD, CAT, and anti-superoxide anion radial activity were significantly reduced, but the levels of MDA and H2O2 were significantly higher in the nal11 and gasr9 mutant seeds that were germinated at low temperatures compared to ZH11. Further analysis revealed that the levels of total active GA, especially GA4 and GA7, were significantly lower in the nal11 and gasr9 mutants than that in ZH11 during low-temperature germination. Based on qRT-PCR analysis, the expression levels of some GA synthesis-related genes were higher, whereas some were lower in the nal11 and gasr9 mutants than those in ZH11, however, the GA metabolism-related genes OsGA2ox8 and OsGA2ox10 and the GA signaling negative regulator gene SLR1 were significantly up-regulated in both nal11 and gasr9 mutants at several time points during low-temperature germination. This may explain the lower GA levels in the nal11 and gasr9 mutants. Furthermore, the interaction between the OsNAL11 and OsGASR9 proteins was confirmed by Y2H, LUC, and Co-IP assays. This study provides preliminary insights into the regulatory mechanism of the OsNAL11 and OsGASR9 genes, which control the low-temperature germination of rice seeds by affecting the GA pathway. Our study will provide the basis for further mining the molecular mechanisms of low-temperature germination in rice and valuable theoretical reference for breeding varieties with strong low-temperature germinability.

Wheat TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A play roles in seed germination and abiotic stress responses in transgenic Arabidopsis and rice

BackgroundSeed germination is a key process in the plant life cycle that affects the vegetative and reproductive stages of plants. Although the JAZ gene family has been characterized in many plants, the relationship between the JAZ gene and seed germination is still unclear.ResultsWe identified two members of the JAZ family from wheat, TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A. TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A were localized in both the cell membrane and nucleus. Spatio-temporal expression analysis of TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A in wheat revealed that these genes are essential for the preharvest sprouting (PHS) stage of seed development, with expression levels significantly decreasing during the ripening period. Transgenic rice plants overexpressing wheat TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A improved seed germination rates. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing wheat TaTIFY10A improved seed germination rates and promoted flowering. In addition, abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) were found to induce TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A expression. Under different ABA concentrations, the seed germination rates of transgenic rice and Arabidopsis overexpressing TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A are superior to wild-type (WT) and mutant plants, and the root lengths of Arabidopsis overexpressing TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A also change. Under different JA concentrations, there is no difference in the seed germination rate of rice overexpressing TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A compared to WT and mutant plants, but there is a significant difference in the seed germination rate and root length of overexpressing Arabidopsis compared to WT and mutant plants. Under different concentrations of salt and drought treatments, the seed germination rate and root length of overexpressing Arabidopsis of TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A are affected.ConclusionsThis study offers a novel perspective for understanding the molecular basis of pre-harvest sprouting and provides potential candidate genes for controlling wheat seed germination.

Tolerance of local gogo rice sprouts under salinity stress conditions

The expansion of rice planting areas in the future needs to be carried out outside Java, as fertile land in Java is shrinking due to land conversion. Most of the land outside Java consists of marginal land, such as areas with high salinity. High salinity levels in the soil cause a decrease in plant germination, growth, and production. The research aimed to examine the tolerance of each cultivar at each level of NaCl concentration, to obtain cultivars that were tolerant to salinity stress, and to determine the NaCl concentration that suppresses the germination of local upland rice. The research was structured using a completely randomized design with a two-factor factorial pattern. The first was the six upland rice cultivars, namely, dongan, jahara, Pulu Konta, pomegranate, kalendeng, and pulu tau leru, while the second factor was the NaCl concentration consisting of 0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8% and 1%. Thus, there were 36 experimental units, which were repeated three times so that there were 108 experimental units. The results of the research showed that there was no interaction with all germination variables; cultivar and concentration had a significant effect on maximum growth potential, germination capacity, germination time, plumule length, radicle length and dry weight of sprouts, while cultivar affected the wet weight of sprouts. Kalendeng has a high salinity tolerance. The use of NaCl concentrations of up to 0.6% has been able to reduce the germination capacity of local upland rice. The conclusion of the research showe that there was no interaction between all germination variables.

The role of Ni- and Cd-resistant rhizobacteria in promoting the growth of rice seedlings and alleviating the combined phytotoxicity of Ni and Cd

The problem of potentially toxic metal pollution is increasingly acute with the development of human society. In this study, we investigated the remediation of nickel (Ni) and cadmium (Cd) co-contamination through inoculating rice with three new-isolated Ni- and Cd-resistant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) Y3, Y4, and Y5. These three strains possessed growth-promoting properties, including 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity, the ability of indoleacetic acid (IAA) production, phosphate solubilization, siderophores production, and exopolysaccharide (EPS) development. According to 16S rDNA sequence homology, strains Y3, Y4, and Y5 were identified as Pseudomonas sp., Chryseobacterium sp., and Enterobacter sp., respectively. Based on the results of rice germination experiments conducted under combined toxicity, we set the contamination concentrations for Ni2+ at 20 μg mL−1 and Cd2+ at 40 μg mL−1. Then we conducted potting experiments at these concentration levels to study the effects of strains Y3, Y4, and Y5 on rice growth under synergistic Ni and Cd stress. The results indicated that the inoculated strains Y3, Y4, and Y5 were effective in promoting the growth of rice seedlings under the combined stress of Ni and Cd, and conferring tolerance to Ni and Cd by increasing the antioxidant enzyme activities of the seedlings. Among them, strain Y3 exhibited stronger ACC deaminase activity, IAA production capacity, and EPS production capacity, showing the most pronounced growth-promoting effect on rice. It was demonstrated that after inoculation with strain Y3, the germination rate of rice seeds increased by 43 %, the fresh weight of stems improved by 35 %, and the chlorophyll content enhanced by 70 % and other growth-promoting phenomena. Additionally, under Ni and Cd stress, strain Y5 performed better than strain Y4 in terms of IAA production capacity and its influence on rice root growth, suggesting that IAA production might play a specifically essential role in root growth under Ni and Cd stress.

Non-destructive visualisation and in situ quantification of micronutrient mobilisation in germinating rice grains using synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy

Maintaining micronutrient availability in germinating rice tissues is crucial for seedling vigour and agronomic performance. However, current methods for visualising micronutrient dynamics often require destructive sample preparation. Here we report that synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) could enable non-destructive, in situ visualisation and quantification of zinc (Zn) mobilisation in intact, germinating rice grains. Using XFM on whole grains of salt-tolerant Pokkali and salt-sensitive Nipponbare varieties, we generated high-resolution elemental maps revealing the spatiotemporal distribution of Zn and other micronutrients. Direct quantification by seed volume using element association window proved inaccurate due to tissue heterogeneity. However, normalisation by areal density showed Zn accumulation was highest in the embryo, followed by the aleurone layer and shoots. Zn was initially localised in the aleurone layer and embryo, with subsequent mobilisation to developing shoots and roots during germination. Calcium was predominantly detected in the hull, while potassium was enriched in growing roots and shoots. This non-destructive XFM method provides unprecedented insights into real-time micronutrient fluxes during rice germination, offering a powerful tool for studying nutrient dynamics in diverse contexts such as biofortification, stress responses, and varietal differences. Our findings contribute to understanding the mechanisms underlying micronutrient allocation during early seedling development, with potential applications in improving rice nutritional quality and seedling establishment.

Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Loci and New Candidate Gene Controlling Seed Germination in Rice

Improving seed germination and seedling development can potentially increase crop yield and improve quality in direct-seeded rice. This study aimed to detect loci or genes associated with rice seed germination. We reported the phenotypic analysis of seed germination in 103 rice accessions across two years, and a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted to identify loci underlying the genetic regulation of seed germination. A total of seven genetic loci were found to be associated with seed germination, including five loci that overlapped with the previously reported loci/genes, and two novel loci. Of these, two loci (qGP2 and qGP4.1) were stable across different environments. GP4 (Germination percentage 4), encoding a 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase, was identified as the candidate gene of the major locus qGP4.1. A sequence analysis of GP4 revealed that four functional polymorphic sites in the coding region were significantly associated with germination percentage. The disruption of GP4 by gene editing resulted in faster seed germination and seedling establishment. Taken together, we have identified GP4 as a novel gene involved in rice seed germination, and we provide a potential target gene for improving rice seed vigor via gene editing or molecular breeding.

OsRAV1 Regulates Seed Vigor and Salt Tolerance During Germination in Rice

Seed vigor is a complex trait encompassing seed germination, seedling emergence, growth, seed longevity, and stress tolerance, all are crucial for direct seeding in rice. Here, we report that the AP2/ERF transcription factor OsRAV1 (RELATED TO ABI3 AND VP1) positively regulates seed germination, vigor, and salt tolerance. Additionally, OsRAV1 was differently expressed in embryo and endosperm, with the OsRAV1 localized in the nucleus. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that OsRAV1 modulates seed vigor through plant hormone signal transduction and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis during germination. Haplotype analysis showed that rice varieties carrying Hap3 displayed enhanced salt tolerance during seed germination. These findings suggest that OsRAV1 is a potential target in breeding rice varieties with high seed vigor suitable for direct seeding cultivation.

Transcriptome profiling reveals ethylene production by reactive oxygen species in trichloroisocyanuric acid-treated rice seeds.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been extensively suggested to stimulate ethylene production. However, the molecular mechanism by which ROS stimulate ethylene production remains largely unclear. Here, transcriptome profiling was used to verify if ROS could stimulate ethylene production via direct formation of ethylene from ROS. Trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCICA) can stimulate seed germination in rice. When transcriptome profiling was performed to determine the molecular responsiveness of rice seeds to TCICA, TCICA was initially proven to be a ROS-generating reagent. A total of 300 genes potentially responsive to TCICA treatment were significantly annotated to cysteine, and the expression of these genes was significantly upregulated. Nonetheless, the levels of cystine did not exhibit significant changes upon TCICA exposure. Cystine was then proven to be a substrate that reacted with TCICA to form ethylene under FeSO4 conditions. Moreover, 7 of 22 genes responsive to TCICA were common with the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-responsive genes. Ethylene was then proven to be produced from cysteine or cystine by reacting with H2O2 under FeSO4 condition, and the hydroxyl radical (OH-) was proposed to be the free radical species responsible for ethylene formation under FeSO4 condition. These results provide the first line of evidence that ethylene can be produced from ROS in a non-enzymatic manner, thereby unveiling one new molecular mechanism by which ROS stimulate ethylene production and offering novel insights into the crosstalk between ethylene and ROS.

Efecto de la pendimentalina sobre el crecimiento celular de rizobacterias Promotoras de Crecimiento Vegetal (PGPR)

Pendimentalin is an herbicide used in short-cycle crops. Its indiscriminate use reduces the beneficial population of microorganisms in production systems. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of pendimentalin on the cell growth of rhizobacteria. The research was conducted at the Laboratory of Microbiology and Molecular Biology of the State Technical University of Quevedo, where the following experiments with pendimentalin contamination were carried out: 1) Adaptability of rhizobacteria under in vitro conditions; 2) Tolerance levels of rhizobacteria under different abiotic conditions in vitro; 3) Reduction of stress by rhizobacteria in soils. The rhizobacteria show a higher adaptability at 72 h with absorbance of 2.38 and 2.51 in the strains (CHA0, BA4-19, B03-4, PM3-14 and R4), also during this time they establish a neutral pH, despite the acidic and alkaline conditions. Strain CHA0 presented the highest number of cells under neutral pH (1.09E+09 CFU/mL). Strains BA4-19 and PM3-14 showed a slight improvement in morphological aspects. Rhizobacteria have adaptability at the in vitro level, but their use slightly reduces the toxicity of the herbicide in rice germination and growth processes.

Combined physicochemical and transcriptomic analyses reveal the effect of the OsGA20ox1 gene on the starch properties of germinated brown rice

Genes play a pivotal role in regulating the germination of cereal grains; however, there is limited research on the impact of germination genes on the physicochemical properties of germinated cereal starch. We investigated the effects of the OsGA20ox1 gene on the multiscale structural features and adhesion behavior of germinated brown rice starch. Compared to the knockout lines group, the wild type exhibited a decrease in double-helix content (62.74 %), relative crystallinity (47.39 %), and short-range molecular ordering (2.47 %), accompanied by enhanced erosion on the surface of starch granules. The damage to glycosidic bonds at the double-helix level and the heightened structural amorphization (90.95 %) led to reduced entanglement and interaction among starch molecules, ultimately resulting in reduced characteristic viscosity. Further transcriptomic analysis revealed that OsGA20ox1 could regulate the expression of starch-related enzyme genes in the starch metabolism pathway during germination of brown rice. This study contributes to understanding the role of germination genes in promoting the physicochemical properties of starch in germinated grains, thereby opening up new avenues for the improvement of plant-based starch, and paving the way for further research in this field.

Analysis of genome-wide association studies of low-temperature germination in Xian and Geng rice.

Rice is the leading global staple crop. Low temperatures pose negative impacts on rice's optimal growth and development. Rice cultivars acclimating to low temperatures exhibited improved seedling emergence under direct-seeded sowing conditions, yet little is known about the genes that regulate germination at low temperatures (LTG). In this research investigation, we've performed whole genome sequencing for the 273 rice plant materials. Using the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) values for each rice material, we identified 7 LTG-related traits and performed the efficient genetic analysis and genome-wide association study (GWAS). As a result of this, 95 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and 1001 candidate genes associated with LTG in rice were identified. Haplotype analysis and functional annotation of the candidate genes resulted in the identification of three promising candidate genes (LOC_Os08g30520 for regulating LTG4 and LTG5, LOC_Os10g02625 for regulating LTG6, LTg7 and LTG8, and LOC_Os12g31460 for regulating LTG7, LTg8 and LTG9) involving in the regulation of LTG in rice. This research provides a solid foundation for addressing the LTG issue in rice and will be valuable in future direct-seeded rice breeding programs.

Effects of Different Pretreatments on the GABA Content of Germinated Brown Rice

Brown rice germination increases γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels and enhances its antioxidant activity. In this study, Kaohsiung 145 brown rice was used as the raw material, and soaked in various solutions for 6 h before being processed with either high-pressure processing (HPP) or ultrasonic treatment to increase the GABA content. The GABA and antioxidant components of brown rice were analyzed after 42 h of germination and subsequent air-drying to obtain a moisture content of 14%. The results showed that non-germinated brown rice had GABA at 7.10 mg/100 g and treatment with various soaking solutions (0.1% CaCl2, 0.1% Glu, 0.2% CaCl2, and 0.2% Glu) increased GABA contents. Specifically, 0.1% CaCl2 and 0.1% Glu exhibited higher GABA content, at 42.51 and 44.64 mg/100 g. Furthermore, the GABA content increased synergistically when combined with HPP (100 MPa, 10 min) and ultrasonic (20 min) treatments after soaking. The results showed that the GABA contents in germinated rice were the greatest after ultrasonic treatment, followed by HPP treatment, and the least with only soaking treatment. The treatments with 0.1% CaCl2 and 0.2% Glu combined with ultrasonic processing for 20 min resulted in the highest GABA content at 102.38 and 110.88 mg/100 g, respectively. Finally, 0.1% CaCl2 with ultrasonic treatment for 20 min was chosen, as it demonstrated a considerable improvement in total polyphenols content and DPPH scavenging abilities, as seen by improved scores in subsequent taste evaluations.

<span>Some data about the food composition of amphibians in Cao Lanh city, Dong Thap province </span>

On the rice field ecosystem in Cao Lanh district, Dong Thap province, there are 6 species of amphibians distributed: Duttaphrynus melanostictus, Kaloula pulchra and Hylarana guentheri have the most diversity of feed ingredients; Fejervarya limnocharis, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus and Ichthyophis bannanicus have less food diversity; Scolopendomorpha and Polydesmoidea are the least, accounting for 1,2%. Amphibians have the most food frequency in Coleoptera, followed by Hymenoptera and Orthoptera. Amphibians are usually terrestrial, eating mainly insects. The frequency of pests was lowest in the period from sowing seeds until the rice had 3 leaves germinated, the lowest in the period of yellow rice until after harvest, the highest at the stage of rice with milk in the grain to the stage of green - ripened rice. The frequency of encounters of Hoplobatrachus rugulosus and Fejervarya limnocharis is lowest at the stage of seeding until rice germination, decrease gradually in the period of ripe rice until after harvest, stage 4 (Rice with milk in the grain until green ripening) has the highest frequency. In stage 1, there is the lowest frequency of encountering amphibians and pests, frequency increases gradually to stage 2 and peaks at stage 4, decreasing at stage 5.