Chinese Scientists Identify Key Gene for Early-Maturing, High-Yield Rice, Shortening Growth Period by 3–8 Days and Boosting Yield by Up to 11%

2026-08-22 11:52

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On the 21st, the State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding at the China National Rice Research Institute published a breakthrough research finding in the internationally renowned journal Science.

The study cloned the rare allele TGW1aJZ, which simultaneously regulates rice maturity and yield, and revealed the molecular mechanism by which its encoded florigen-like protein breaks the "early-maturing, high-yield" genetic constraint in crops by coupling the "flowering clock" with nitrogen use efficiency. The findings clarify that the essence of "early maturity and high yield" in crops lies in the balance between growth duration and nitrogen use efficiency, providing a theoretical basis and genetic resources for breeding early-maturing, high-yield varieties.

Early flowering shortens the vegetative growth period, thereby reducing biomass accumulation and yield. "Early maturity and high yield" are like "fish and bear's paw"—difficult to obtain simultaneously.

Zhang Jian, corresponding author of the paper and a researcher at the China National Rice Research Institute, stated that the research team conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the growth duration and yield traits of over 300 global rice germplasm resources. They developed recombinant inbred line populations using Huanghuazhan, a major indica rice variety grown in South China and the Yangtze River basin, and JiZi 1560, an early-maturing, extra-large-grain japonica rice resource from Northeast China, as parents. Using thousand-grain weight and growth duration as key evaluation indicators, they mapped the major locus qTGW1a on chromosome 1, which simultaneously confers early maturity and high yield in rice, indicating that this locus is the key to breaking the "early-maturing, high-yield" genetic constraint in rice.

The study found that based on large fragment sequence differences in the promoter, TGW1a can be classified into three haplotypes. Among them, TGW1aJZ is the ancestral type, mainly found in wild rice; TGW1aHHZ is mainly present in indica varieties; and TGW1aNIP is mainly found in japonica varieties.

Using molecular breeding approaches, the research team introduced TGW1aJZ into the major early-season indica varieties Zhongjiazao 17 and Zhongzao 39, as well as the indica restorer lines Huazhan and R173, and further screened improved varieties containing TGW1aJZ-Gn1aHHZ. Field regional trials were conducted for three consecutive years from 2023 to 2025 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, and Nanning, Guangxi. The results showed that the improved new varieties had a shortened harvest period of 3–8 days and a yield increase of 4.2%–11.0%.

"This study addresses the current agricultural pain point of cropping system conflicts in China's multi-cropping regions. By identifying the key gene TGW1aJZ for early maturity and high yield, we have developed a series of improved new varieties with a growth period shortened by 3–8 days and yield increased by 4%–11%, providing excellent genetic resources and application demonstrations for early-maturing, high-yield rice improvement," Zhang Jian stated.

China

Agricultural Engineering

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