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A wild-rice gene restored root microbes and improved nitrogen-use traits in cultivated rice

2026.10.02 Global briefing

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Experiments show that a wild-rice gene can help cultivated rice recover beneficial root microbes reduced during domestication.

From 113 candidates, researchers selected the receptor-like kinase gene OsRLK and tested it with knockouts, overexpression lines and a synthetic microbial community.

How candidates were found

Two recombinant inbred populations from wild rice crossed with japonica and indica rice were compared in fields. Rhizosphere profiles, quantitative-trait loci, genomes from 382 accessions and expression data narrowed the genes linked to ancestral microbes.

Which microbes changed

OsRLK was strongly associated with Acinetobacter linked to nitrogen uptake. When overexpression and knockout plants received the same synthetic community, root-community composition and nitrogen-related responses shifted with the gene.

A wild-rice gene restored root microbes and improved nitrogen-use traits in cultivated rice — This AI-generated image explains the topic; it is not a photograph of the actual experiment, observation or field site.

What field trials showed

Overexpression lines improved yield-related traits under field conditions. One setting and genetic background cannot guarantee the same yield everywhere. Acinetobacter species and strains also differ, so a genus name alone does not prove a benefit.

What comes next

Breeding tests must show stable microbial recruitment across soils and quantify any real fertilizer reduction. Non-target microbes, greenhouse-gas effects, long-term yield and biosafety also need testing before commercial claims are justified.