Enhancement of Heat and Drought Stress Tolerance in Rice by Genetic Manipulation: A Systematic Review

Abstract

As a result of global warming, plants are subjected to ever-increasing abiotic stresses including heat and drought. Drought stress frequently co-occurs with heat stress as a result of water evaporation. These stressors have adverse effects on crop production, which in turn affects human food security. Rice is a major food resource grown widely in crop-producing regions throughout the world. However, increasingly common heat and drought stresses in growth regions can have negative impacts on seedling morphogenesis, reproductive organ establishment, overall yield, and quality. This review centers on responses to heat and drought stress in rice. Current knowledge of molecular regulation mechanisms is summarized. We focus on approaches to cope with heat and drought stress, both at the genetic level and from an agricultural practice perspective. This review establishes a basis for improving rice stress tolerance, grain quality, and yield for human benefit.

Identification of Drought Tolerant Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) Genotypes with Asian and African Backgrounds

“…Furthermore, drought and heat are reported to often occur together. The genes regulating tolerance to these stresses are different but share some signaling pathways [ 34 ]. Several genetic management approaches have been suggested by researchers to increase rice production in a changing climate [ 34 , 35 ].…”

“…The genes regulating tolerance to these stresses are different but share some signaling pathways [ 34 ]. Several genetic management approaches have been suggested by researchers to increase rice production in a changing climate [ 34 , 35 ]. Rice improvement for drought tolerance may continue through pyramiding major QTLs for drought tolerance by crossing elite x elite cultivars or by marker-assisted backcrossing [ 21 , 29 ] involving landraces or wild rice as a source of drought tolerance [ 36 ] followed by multi-environmental trials to select for a specific environment or location [ 16 ].…”

Prospects for rice in 2050

“…Currently, about 150 million hectares of rice worldwide are threatened by high temperature, and world's rice yield loss will be 40% in the next century due to negative effects of high temperature (Jagadish et al, 2015). The effects of heat stress on rice production, quality, physiology, heat‐regulated genes and networks have been well summarized (Jagadish et al, 2015; Y. Yang, Yu, et al, 2022). Li et al (2023), in this issue, reviewed mainly recent advances in heat sensing and signalling, regulation of the heat stress response in rice, besides irreversible effects of heat stress on photosynthesis, reproduction, and quality in rice (J. Y. Li et al, 2023).…”

How rice adapts to high temperatures

“…Exposure to combined heat and drought stress can lead to the production of ROS, triggering protective responses such as increasing the expression and activity of ROS-scavenging enzymes and molecules. Rice senses stress signals through signaling sensors including Ca 2+ and ROS to activate transcription factors such as bZIP, MYB/MYC, WRKY, AP2/EREBP, and NAC (Yang et al, 2022). In addition, increasing the expression of CATALASE (CAT), ASCORBATE PEROXIDASE (APX), and GATA28a genes helped protect thermotolerant rice variety N22 from lethal damage when heat and drought co-occurred (Yadav et al, 2022).…”