Significance of awn length changes uniquely involved in rice domestication

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H02178
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 39010:Science in plant genetics and breeding-related
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Ishii Takashige 神戸大学, 農学研究科, 教授 (20260648)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: イネ / 栽培化 / 芒

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Rice domestication started about 10,000 years ago. Closed panicle and seed awing may be key traits for the emergence of cultivated rice. Since these two traits lead to temporary inhibition of seed shedding, they seem to be preferable for the ancient seed gatherers. However, in the middle of domestication, seed awing was eliminated as an undesirable trait. In this study, significance of awn length changes uniquely involved in rice domestication was investigated through the research subjects from the five temporal aspects, i.e., before, early, middle, late and after domestication periods. Based on the results, general discussion on awn length changes was carried out.

Free Research Field

植物育種学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

栽培種の誕生は、人類が何千年も植物に働き続けたことによって達成されたものである。そのため、栽培化解明の研究は、無名の農民たちの不断の努力ならびに人類の誇りを対象植物側から検証・評価することである。
本研究では、イネの栽培化にユニークに関与した芒に焦点を当て、栽培化の時系列に応じた研究項目を設定し、過去から現在に至る種子の有芒性および無芒性の意義を明らかにした。また、研究成果はイネの生態学、遺伝学、育種学分野において新たな知見を提供するものである。