Rice Seeds and Their Temperature Sensitivity: A Molecular Dance

Rice seeds are picky about temperature. They need the right heat to sprout and grow. Scientists have been trying to figure out how this works. They found a cool trick that rice seeds use to decide when to grow.

The Key Players

There are two key players in this game:

• OsFTIP9
• OSH1

When the temperature is just right, OsFTIP9 grabs onto OSH1. This keeps OSH1 from going into the seed's nucleus. In the nucleus, OSH1 usually tells the seed to make more ABA, a hormone that keeps the seed dormant.

But when OsFTIP9 holds OSH1 back, less ABA is made. This means the seed can germinate.

The Growth Loop

Interestingly, the more OsFTIP9 there is, the more it gets made. This is because OSH1, when not in the nucleus, tells the seed to make more OsFTIP9. It's a loop that helps the seed grow when the temperature is good.

The Cold Weather Challenge

But when it's too cold, this trick doesn't work. OsFTIP9 can't hold onto OSH1 as well. So, OSH1 goes into the nucleus and tells the seed to make more ABA. This keeps the seed dormant until the temperature warms up.

Future Implications

Scientists think this discovery could help farmers. By tweaking these two players, they might be able to make rice seeds that can sprout even in cold weather. This could be a big deal for places where the climate is changing.