Prof. Dr Wenbin Zhou is group leader in the regulation of crop photosynthesis group at Institute of Crop Science, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing. His research aims to understand the physiological and molecular mechanisms of crop photosynthesis with particular interest in enhancing crop yield by improving photosynthetic efficiency.
Title: A transcriptional regulator that boosts grain yields and shortens the growth duration of rice
Webinar date: Tuesday 1st November 2022 14.00 CET
Abstract: By screening candidate photosynthesis-related transcription factors in rice, we identified a DREB-family member, OsDREB1C, whose expression is induced by both light and low-nitrogen status. We then generated and rigorously characterized both overexpression and knockout lines, with extensive physiological and molecular data as well as agronomic data from multiple years at multiple field sites. We show that OsDREB1C drives functionally diverse transcriptional programs determining photosynthetic capacity, nitrogen utilization, and flowering time. Field trials with OsDREB1C-overexpressing rice revealed very large yield increases of 41-68% and, in addition, shortened growth duration and improved nitrogen use efficiency, thus providing a promising strategy towards achieving the much-needed increases in agricultural productivity.