A transcriptional regulator that boosts grain yields and shortens the growth duration of rice

摘要

Overexpression of OsDREBIC not only boosts grain yields but also confers higher NUE and early flowering. Our work demonstrates that by genetically modulating the expression of a single transcriptional regulator gene, substantial yield increases can be achieved while the growth duration of the crop is shortened. The existing natural allelic variation in OsDREBIC, the highly conserved function of the transcription factor in seed plants, and the ease with which its expression can be altered by genetic engineering suggest that this gene could be the target of future crop improvement strategies toward more efficient and more sustainable food production.