Analysis of molecular and genetic mechanism of super water-repellency in rice

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16H04857
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Science in genetics and breeding
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Itoh Jun-ichi 東京大学, 大学院農学生命科学研究科(農学部), 准教授 (30345186)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 撥水性 / イネ / 遺伝学 / 変異体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Rice leaf shows extremely high water-repellency (super water-repellency) as much as that of lotus leaf. In this analysis, expression mechanism for the super water-repellency of rice leaves were elucidated in various points of view. First, it revealed that the adaxial side of leaf blade in rice showed the highest water-repellency and the water-repellency was changed depending on different environmental conditions. In addition, it was shown that several wax biosynthetic genes were important for the water-repellency by using wetting leaf mutants. Furthermore, it was suggested that many rice cultivars show high water-repellency.

Free Research Field

植物分子育種学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

超撥水性は植物の耐病性や光合成効率の上昇に寄与すると考えられる。本研究で得られた成果によって植物表面の撥水性を制御する基盤的知識を得ることができた。これを利用して、作物における病原体による初期感染の予防や、汚れの洗浄効果による病原体の感染リスクの低下、光合成効率の上昇が期待できる。また、イネにおけるワックス合成遺伝子の解明により、イネワックスの改変や増産の可能性も期待される。