Spikelets per panicle (SPP) is one of the most important traits associated with rice yield. In this study, IL28, a near isogenic line (NIL) developed by introgressing chromosomal segments from ‘Moroberekan’ into ‘Ilpumbyeo’ showed significantly higher number of spikelets per panicle than the recurrent parent, ‘Ilpumbyeo’. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis in 243 F2 plants derived from a cross between IL28 and Ilpumbyeo indicated that a QTL for spikelets per panicle, qSPP6 was located in the interval RM3430 - RM20580. The Moroberekan allele increased SPP. The fact that QTLs for panicle length and the number of secondary branches were mapped in the same interval as qSPP6 appears to indicate that this locus was associated with panicle structure. To map the QTL more precisely, substitution mapping of qSPP6 using F3 lines was conducted. Substitution mapping with 41 F3 lines further narrowed the interval containing not only qSPP6 for spikelets per panicle but also qNDW6 for node width to about 680-kb between markers RM20521 and RM20572 based on Nipponbare genome sequence. The locus, qSPP6 is of particular interest because of its independence from undesirable height and flowering time. SSR markers tightly linked to the qSPP6 will facilitate cloning of the gene underlying this QTL as well as marker assisted selection for variation in SPP in the breeding program.

Gene expression profiles can serve as a valuable reference for deciphering gene functions. We exploited the potential of whole genome microarrays to measure the temporal expression profiles of rice genes in 13 stages of reproductive development. We could profile expression of 17,676 genes in at least one of the tissues. Differential expression analysis with compare to leaf and preceding stages of development revealed reproductive stage-preferential/-specific genes. we identified 35 genes expressing specifically during panicle and seed development. The metabolic/hormonal pathways and transcription factor families playing key role in reproductive development were elucidated after overlaying the expression data on the public databases and manually curated list of transcription factors, respectively. During floral meristem differentiation (P1cm) and male meiosis (P5cm), the genes involved in jasmonic acid and gebbellin biosynthesis were significantly upregulated. F11DAP stage of seed, containing enlargement organ, exhibited enrichment of transcripts involved in starch or sucrose biosynthesis. Genes regulating auxin biosynthesis were induced during early seed development. We validated the stage-specificity of regulatory regions of two panicle-specific genes, AK072471, Os08g0538700, and AK121412, an early seed-specific gene, in transgenic rice. The data generated here provides a snapshot of the underlying complexity of the gene networks regulating rice reproductive development.

Grain size is one of the most important trait determining yield in cereal crops, apart from number of grains per panicle, number of panicles per plant and 1000 seed weight. Other than grain characteristics, plant architecture is another very important factor influencing yield by affecting the amount plant surface area directly exposed to the sun light. Erect panicle is important morphological characteristic which helps in enhancing the yield by allowing sun light to fall directly on leaves unlike curved panicle which blocks sunlight and consequently reduce photosynthesis. A small round grain and erect panicle mutant was obtained by treating Hwacheong rice (japonica) with MNU (N-methyl-N-nitrosourea) chemical mutagen. Through bulked segregant analysis (BSA) using STS (Sequence-Tagged Sites) and SS-STS (Sub-species Specific Sequence-Tagged Site) markers we located the mutated gene on the long arm of chromosome 7 and narrowed down candidate region to 168.75kbp through fine mapping. Mutant manifested characteristics like reduced grain size and plant height, dense and erect panicle and relatively erect plant compared to the wild type. When we crossed the mutant with its parent (Hwacheong), F1 panicle and grain characteristics showed intermediate phenotype, therefore, we concluded that wild type allele of this gene shows incomplete dominance. Scanning electron microscopy(SEM) result shows that increase in width of mutant grain, which changes its shape, is due to increase in width of glume cells. Phenotypic examination shows that dense and erect panicle phenotype is result of reduction in length of rachis, primary and secondary branch.

Spikelets per panicle is one of the most important trait associated with rice yield component. In this study, IL28, near isogenic line (NIL) developed by introgressing chromosomal segments from Moroberekan into Ilpumbyeo, showed significantly higher number of spikelets per panicle than the recurrent parent Ilpumbyeo. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis in 243 F2 plants derived from a cross between IL28 and Ilpumbyeo, indicated that a QTL for spikelets per panicle, qspp6, located in the interval RM3430 – RM20580. The fact that QTLs for panicle length and secondary branch number were mapped in the same interval as that for qspp6 indicated that this locus was associated with panicle structure. To map the QTL more precisely, substitution mapping of qspp6 using F4 lines was conducted. As a result, substitution mapping with ten F4 lines further narrowed the interval containing qspp6 to about 429kb between marker RM20521 and RM20562 based on the japonica genome sequence. The locus, qspp6 is of particular interest because of its independence from undesirable height and flowering time. SSR markers tightly linked to the qspp6 will facilitate cloning of the gene underlying this QTL as well as marker assisted selection for variation in SPP in an applied breeding program.

열대지역에 적응하는 온대 자포니카 벼 품종 개발을 위한 이삭형질 개선의 육종 방향을 제시하고자 한국과 필리핀 우기재배에서의 이삭형질 변이 및 특성에 대해서 조사하였다. 이삭형질의 변이는 2차 지경 착생립수가 차이가 가장 많이 나는 형질이었고 1차 지경 평균립수가 가장 적게 나는 형질이었다. 2차 지경 관련 형질이 1차 지경 관련 형질보다 수당립수와의 상관관계가 높았다. 지역간 차이가 많이 난 형질은 2차 지경 립수, 2차 지경수, 수당립수, 총지경수 순

이 연구는 칼라 디지털 카메라 영상 분석에 의한 유수분화기 벼 군락의 건물중 및 질소흡수량 추정 모델, 유수분화기 질소흡수량과 질소 수비량에 따른 유수분화기 이후 질소 흡수량 추정 모델, 유수분화기 질소 흡수량과 유수분화기 이후 질소 흡수량에 따른 수량 및 쌀 단백질함량 추정 모델을 구축하고 이를 종합하여 목표 수량 또는 단백질함량을 달성하기 위한 질소 수비량을 추천하는 원시 프로그램을 개발하여 현장 적용성 예비 검토를 실시하고자 한 것이다. 1. 군락피복도(CC)와 군락체적(CV)은 초장, 건물중 및 질소흡수량과 고도로 유의한정의 상관을 나타내었으며, R, G, B, NDI 및 명도 값은 이들과 유의한 부의 상관을 나타내었다. 한편 표준화된 색지표인 r은 잎 및 지상부 질소함량과 유의한 부의 상관을 나타내었으나 표준화 색지표 b와 g는 이들과 유의한 상관을 보이지 않았다. 2. 벼 군락의 디지털 카메라 영상분석을 이용한 벼 지상부 건물중 및 질소 흡수량을 추정하기 위한 비선형회귀 모델을 작성하였다. 지상부 건물중 추정 모텔에는 CC와 정규화된 R값(r, NorR)이 변수로 채택이 되었고, 질소흡수량 추정에는 CC와 정규화된 G값(g, NorG)이 채택되었으며, 이들 모델의 결정계수는 각각 0.81과 0.68이었다. 영성분석 색지표 이외에 초장을 모델에 도입하는 경우 모델의 결정계수는 더 높아졌다. 3. 유수분화기에 적정 질소 추비량을 처방하기 위해서는 유수분화기 식물체의 질소 영양 상태(질소 흡수량, PNup) 및 질소 시비량이 수량과 단백질함량에 미치는 영향을 정량화하여야 하는데, 이를 위하여 Npi와 PNup이 유수 분화기부터 성숙기까지의 지상부 질소흡수량에 미치는 영향 및 PNup과 PHNup이 벼 수량 및 쌀 단백질 함량에 미치는 영향을 검토하여 중회귀 모델을 작성하였으며 이 모델들은 결정계수가 모두 0.8이상으로 높았다. 4. 상기의 모델들을 종합하여 유수분화기 벼 군락 영상분석을 이용한 수비처방 원시 프로그램을 작성하여 예비 검증 실험을 하였다. 벼 수비 처방 프로그램에 의해 쌀단백질 함량 6.0%를 기준으로 처방된 수비질소 분시율이 19%~21%로 표준재배 분시율 30%에 비해 낮은 수준으로 처방되었으나 완전미 수량은 대등하였고, 단백질함량은 수비처방 목표단백질 함량 6%보다는 다소 낮은 5.7~5.8%였으며, 수량과 단백질함량의 변이 계수는 관행 수비 처방구에 비하여 프로그램 처방구에서 크게 낮아져서 프로그램 처방에 의하여 수량과 품질이 균질화되는 결과였다.

국내에서 육성된 178개 품종을 이용하여 12개 이삭형질에 대한 검토 결과는 다음과 같다. 통일형이 자포니카형보다 이삭길이는 길었고 이삭목은 두꺼웠다. 또한 수당립수, 총지경수, 2차 지경수, 2차 지경 총립수, 2차 지경 평균립수 및 1차 지경당 2차 지경수 각각에서 많았다. 반면에 자포니카형이 통일형보다 이삭추출은 양호하였고 1차 지경 평균립수도 약간 많았다. 12개 이삭형질 값을 가지고 평균 연결법을 이용하여 178개 품종을 대상으로 군집분석을 한

Temperature rise during grain filling stage by global warming causes deterioration in rice yield and quality. This study was conducted to investigate proper panicle traits for improving grain filling under high temperature. A total of 40 Korean rice cultivars were grouped according to maturation period and exposed to high temperature during grain filling stage in greenhouse with ventilating fans. Average temperature in greenhouse was 1.1～1.5oC higher than ambient condition. Main panicle traits such as number of spikelets per panicle, number of primary rachis branches(PRBs) and secondary rachis branches(SRBs) per panicle, number of spikelets setting on PRBs and SRBs were counted after harvest and their relationship with grain ripened ratio was investigated. Grain ripened ratio under high temperature showed significant negative correlations with number of spikelets per panicle, number of total rachis branches, number of SRBs, number of total and average spikelets setting on SRBs, and ratio of number of SRBs to number of PRBs. Especially, number of total and average spikelets setting on SRBs showed highly negative correlations with ripened grain ratio, which implies grain filling under high temperature might have been more severely decreased in the cultivars with bigger sink size due to higher number of spikelets setting on SRBs.

Plant leaf color is an important indicator for diagnosing the plant nutrient status. A software was developed by Crop Environment and Production Technology Lab. of Seoul National University to analyze the color image of rice canopy taken at panicle initiation stage (PIS) with digital camera and to recommend nitrogen fertilizer rate for target yield or protein content of rice. The software was coded in Visual Basic Ver. 6.0 and includes subroutine to calculate color indices from the digital image and several model equations relating the color indices to biomass and nitrogen accumulation of rice canopy at PIS, the grain yield to nitrogen density at PIS (PNup) and nitrogen accumulation from PIS to maturity (PHNup), and the PHNup to PNup and nitrogen fertilization rate at PIS. The objective of this study were to test the performance of the Software. Using the Software, nitrogen fertilization rate at PIS was recommended targeting the rice protein content of 6.3% for the 12 plots subjected to different amount of basal and tillering N fertilizer. N recommendation using the software reduced the coefficient of variation (CV, %) of rice yield and protein content among plots compared to the conventional N treatment plots. However, the actual protein content of rice was lower than the predicted value. This discrepancy would be attributable to the much better weather condition during grain filling period in 2009 compared to the normal year that assume in the Software for N recommendation. Additional calibration process is needed to improve the accuracy of this Software.

Rice lax panicle (lax) mutant had defect in early inflorescence differentiation and lateral branch formation and exhibitedfewer numbers of rachis branches and spikelets in the panicle. The mutant also had abnormality in floral organ formation. Whereas, the spotted leaf 6 (spl6) mutant produced lesions in absence of pathogen. Analysis with a lax spl6 double mutant indicated both genes are controlled by single recessive factor and linked on chromosome 1 with 7 centiMorgan map distance. The lax gene was fine mapped within the 261.3 kb region between RM7594 and RM5389 that predicted 10 open reading frames (ORF) as candidate for lax gene. Sequencing of the candidates in the lax mutant revealed a substitution of nucleotide T by G corresponding to an amino acid substitution from serine (S) to alanine (A) at the 117th position within the coding region of the candidate ORF bhlh123. The intronless 1080 bp cDNA of LAX gene contains an ORF of 215 amino acids and encoded a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor. Analysis of a 5.1 kb genomic fragment of the lax gene from homozygous dominant progeny which corresponded to indica cultivar resulted in a long deletion of 24 nucleotides in the upstream of LAX cDNA. (This research was supported by the National Research foundation of Korea, Grant 0070065).

Early diagnosis of crop growth at various growth stages will help to make an optimum fertilization. If we can diagnose crop growth at around the time of topdressing of N fertilizer, N fertilization can be made based on crop growth and target crop yield, which may provide economic and environmental benefits as compared with fixed rate fertilization. In this study we devised methods to diagnose rice growth non-destructively at panicle initiation stage and to determine N topdressing rate. SPAD-502, Field Scout CM1000 and Green Seeker GNDVI were used to diagnose the growth status of rice grown at different soil N fertilities. The values measured by the diagnostic equipments at rice panicle initiation stage were then regressed to rice grain yield. It was found that CM1000 and GNDVI were more efficient than SPAD to diagnose rice growth. Therefore, a multivariate model with CM1000 and GNDVI values was developed to make a decision of N fertilization at rice panicle initiation stage. In a subsequent field study, N fertilization determined by non-destructive growth diagnose by CM1000 and GNDVI, and the multivariate model could minimize N fertilizer use to achieve our target yield, resulted in significant reduction of N fertilizer as compared with fixed rate N fertilization.

IL-34 (NIL) developed by introgressing chromosomal segment substitution from an accession of Oryza minuta (2n=48, BBCC, Acc. No. 101141) into the O. sativa subsp. japonica cv. Hwaseongbyeo, showed significantly higher number of spikelets per panicle (SSP) than the recurrent parent Hwaseongbyeo. QTL analysis in F2 generation derived from the cross between IL-34 and Hwaseongbyeo revealed that ssp7, a QTL was located in the pericentromeric region of chromosome 7. The frequency distribution of spikelets per panicle followed 3:1 ratio for single locus segregation. The additive effect of the O. minuta allele at the QTL was 23 spikelets per panicle, and 43.6% of the phenotypic variance could be explained by the segregation of marker RM21596. To clarify whether ssp7 could be dissected genetically, we carried out fine-scale mapping with 3,700 F2 plants derived from the cross between IL-34 and Hwaseongbyeo using markers flanking spp7. 186 F2 plants having informative recombination breakpoints within the region flanked by two SSR markers RM500 and RM21615 were identified and used for fine mapping of ssp7. ssp7 was mapped between the SSR markers RM21596 and RM418 which was approximately 441kb in length based on the physical map of the region. Of great interests, the QTL region also had effects on primary branch number (PB), grains per panicle (SP) and grain yield (YD). These results are very useful for transferring or pyramiding ssp7 by molecular marker assistant selection in rice breeding programs.