OsNAC5 overexpression enlarges root diameter in rice plants leading to enhanced drought tolerance and increased grain yield in the field

Summary Drought conditions are among the most serious challenges to crop production worldwide. Here, we report the results of field evaluations of transgenic rice plants overexpressing OsNAC5, under the control of either the root‐specific (RCc3) or constitutive (GOS2) promoters. Field evaluations ov...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plant biotechnology journal 2013-01, Vol.11 (1), p.101-114
Main Authors: Jeong, Jin Seo, Kim, Youn Shic, Redillas, Mark C. F. R., Jang, Geupil, Jung, Harin, Bang, Seung Woon, Choi, Yang Do, Ha, Sun‐Hwa, Reuzeau, Christophe, Kim, Ju‐Kon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abiotic stress
Crop production
Crop yield
Cyclin-dependent kinases
Drought
Drought resistance
drought tolerance
Droughts
field evaluation
Flowering
Gene expression
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Genes
Genes, Plant
Genetic engineering
Genetic Variation
Genotype
Grain
grain yield
Growing season
Kinases
Lignin
Methyltransferase
Oryza - genetics
Oryza - growth & development
Oryza sativa
OsNAC5 overexpression
Phenotype
Phenotypes
Plant growth
Plant Roots - genetics
Plant Roots - growth & development
Plants (botany)
Plants, Genetically Modified
Promoter Regions, Genetic
Rice
root enlargement
Roots
Seeds - genetics
Seeds - growth & development
Stress, Physiological
Transcription factors
Transcription Factors - metabolism
Transgenic plants
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Summary:Summary Drought conditions are among the most serious challenges to crop production worldwide. Here, we report the results of field evaluations of transgenic rice plants overexpressing OsNAC5, under the control of either the root‐specific (RCc3) or constitutive (GOS2) promoters. Field evaluations over three growing seasons revealed that the grain yield of the RCc3:OsNAC5 and GOS2:OsNAC5 plants were increased by 9%–23% and 9%–26% under normal conditions, respectively. Under drought conditions, however, RCc3:OsNAC5 plants showed a significantly higher grain yield of 22%–63%, whilst the GOS2:OsNAC5 plants showed a reduced or similar yield to the nontransgenic (NT) controls. Both the RCc3:OsNAC5 and GOS2:OsNAC5 plants were found to have larger roots due to an enlarged stele and aerenchyma at flowering stage. Cell numbers per cortex layer and stele of developing roots were higher in both transgenic plants than NT controls, contributing to the increase in root diameter. The root diameter was enlarged to a greater extent in the RCc3:OsNAC5, suggesting the importance of this phenotype for enhanced drought tolerance. Microarray experiments identified 25 up‐regulated genes by more than three‐fold (P 
ISSN:1467-7644
1467-7652
DOI:10.1111/pbi.12011