Natural variation in rice mitogen-activated protein kinase 4 contributes to increased photosynthetic rate under field conditions

Abstract

Improving rice (Oryza sativa L.) yield requires a balanced enhancement of both sink size and source capacity. While many QTLs for sink size have been identified, only a few are known for source capacity, which is essential for achieving high yield. Here we identified qHP10 as a major QTL for increased photosynthetic rate by using chromosome segment substitution lines derived from a cross between the high-yielding indica cultivar Takanari and the average-yielding japonica cultivar Koshihikari. High-resolution mapping combined with CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutagenesis revealed that the causative gene underlying qHP10 is Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 4 (OsMPK4). A near-isogenic line carrying the OsMPK4Takanari allele (NIL-OsMPK4) had a 15-25% higher photosynthetic rate than Koshihikari. NIL-OsMPK4 also had higher stomatal conductance than Koshihikari but similar stomatal pore size and density, indicating that increased stomatal aperture increases photosynthetic rate. This enhancement is likely attributable to the down-regulation of OsMPK4 expression, which increases stomatal conductance and thus promotes CO2 uptake. Our findings demonstrate that OsMPK4 is a promising genetic target for increasing source capacity and, potentially, rice yield through molecular breeding. (175 words)