Comparing Photosynthetic Differences Between Wild and Domesticated Rice
Published:10 Nov.2021 Source:Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Millions of people in Asia are dependent on rice as a food source. Believed to have been domesticated as early as 6000 BCE, rice is an important source of calories globally. In a new study, researchers compared domesticated rice to its wild counterparts to understand the differences in their photosynthetic capabilities. The results can help improve future rice productivity.
Wild rice species Oryza rufipogon and Oryza nivara are typically weed-like and are taller than cultivated rice Oryza sativa. While these features are helpful in the wild, since they can shade out competitors, they are unfavorable in an agricultural setting and can lead to lower yields. Through domestication and breeding, many rice varieties have been selected to be short with erect leaves that have steep angles, which allows better light distribution through the canopy. Despite these improvements, the distribution is uneven and is affected by changes in wind and cloud cover.