Unlocking Rice's Genetic Secrets to Secure Future Farming and Conservation.

A groundbreaking study published in Nature Genetics is shedding new light on the evolution of rice, offering hope for the future of farming and conservation. Led by researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia and Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, the study explores how the DNA of rice and its wild relatives has evolved over millions of years, presenting opportunities to boost crop yields and extend rice cultivation to regions currently unsuitable for farming.

Rice, one of humanity’s earliest domesticated crops, dates back roughly 10,000 years. Over centuries, human-driven selection for traits like higher nutritional value and profit maximization has narrowed rice’s genetic diversity, making it more vulnerable to environmental stresses.

In contrast, wild species within the Oryza genus have undergone around 15 million years of natural evolution. This prolonged diversification has granted them an impressive range of genetic adaptations, allowing them to thrive in extreme conditions such as intense heat, drought, and saline soils.

"The genus Oryza houses an extraordinary wealth of genomic diversity. We were able to trace the evolutionary impacts on the collective genomes of rice and its wild relatives," said Professor Rod Wing of KAUST, who co-led the research with postdoctoral associate Alice Fornasiero.

Unlike humans, who are diploid and inherit two chromosome sets, many plants are polyploid, carrying multiple chromosome sets that enable the development of new traits and enhance survival in tough environments. The team studied nine tetraploid and two diploid wild rice species, uncovering key differences in their genomes largely attributed to "jumping genes" — mobile DNA elements that promote genetic variation.

The researchers also found that genome sizes varied significantly between diploid and tetraploid species, with some containing genes that bolster resistance to heat, drought, and salinity — traits increasingly crucial as climate change reshapes agricultural landscapes.

Moreover, by mapping the evolutionary tree of wild rice, the study pinpointed when new species emerged, offering insights into how environmental pressures historically influenced rice evolution.

"This comprehensive genomic analysis offers a solid foundation for developing future rice varieties capable of enduring harsh climates," noted Professor Eric Schranz of Wageningen University, a co-author of the study.

Given that over 3.5 billion people worldwide depend on rice as a staple food, these findings could play a vital role in securing global food supplies in an era of climate uncertainty.

Source:https://phys.org/news/2025-04-genetic-secrets-rice-pave-future.html

This is non-financial/medical advice and made using AI so could be wrong.