A World First! The Mechanism for Preferential Distribution of Boron in Rice (Oryza sativa) Has Been Discovered. Hope for Contribution to Improvement of Rice Yield on Boron-deficient Soil

January 26(Fri), 2018

A research group led by Jian Feng Ma, Professor at the Okayama University Institute of Plant Science and Resources, made a world-first discovery of the mechanism for the preferential distribution of boron to developing tissues in rice (Oryza sativa). This discovery was published in the online version of the leading U.S. plant science journal “Plant Physiology”on December 4, 2017.

Boron (atomic symbol: B) is an essential nutrient for plant growth. It is especially required for new tissues (new leaves and reproductive organs) which have rapid growth. A transporter, OsNIP3;1, which was identified in this study, is highly expressed in rice nodes and has the function of preferentially distributing boron to new tissues such as new leaves. The group also found that the distribution activities respond at the gene expression level and the protein level depending on the boron concentration in the environment. This work is expected to  improve B-use efficiency in plants under B-limited conditions.

 

Article Information

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.17.01641

Authors: Ji Feng Shao, Naoki Yamaji, Xin Wei Liu, Kengo Yokosho, Ren Fang Shen, Jian Feng Ma

Journal:Plant Physiology

Title: Preferential distribution of boron to developing tissues is mediated by the intrinsic protein OsNIP3;1

Year of Publication:2017

 

Okayama University Silicon Valley Office (OUSVO)

Contact: Mototaka Senda, Ph.D.

Phone:    (1)510-894-3067

E-mail:    ousvo@okayama-u.ac.jp