Chinese researchers have identified how changes in plant hormone activity could help rice cope with water shortages. In one field experiment, the line under study produced 36.7% more grain under drought stress than the control plants. The Chinese Academy of Sciences reported the findings on October 20.
The study was published in Molecular Plant. Its authors examined strigolactones, hormones involved in shoot development and yield. They found that this system also regulates rice’s response to water stress.
Short-term dehydration reduced strigolactone production in the roots. This triggered a chain of changes in protein activity that increased the removal of reactive oxygen species, particularly hydrogen peroxide. The mechanism helped the plant maintain its internal balance when water was scarce.
The scientists tested the connection in several ways. They compared rice varieties, examined gene activity and used genome editing. Altering specific components of the hormone system increased the plants’ resistance to drought.
To assess yield in the field, the researchers separately tested a line with moderately reduced strigolactone levels. This was the line that delivered the 36.7% increase under water stress. According to the academy, it also outperformed the control under normal growing conditions.
The figure applies to a specific experiment. It does not mean that every rice variety would achieve the same gain after a similar change. The findings point to a promising breeding approach: working with particular gene variants that affect both drought resistance and yield.
Maintaining that balance matters for practical use. The aim is for a plant to withstand water shortages while continuing to produce a full harvest. The authors identified several genetic targets that could help develop such varieties.
The scientific paper became available online on September 3, 2026. The academy’s October report presented the findings in more detail for a general audience.
