Hunan University (HNU) announced on April 1 that a team of scientists led by Prof. Liu Xuanming from HNU College of Biology, Yang Yuanzhu from Hunan Yahua Seeds Science Academy, and Li Laigeng from Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences identified a gene named STRK1 (salt tolerance receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase 1) that limits yield losses in rice plants exposed to salt stress and deciphered the underlying mechanism.

Related research findings were published on PlantCell that ranked first in impact among journals publishing primary research in the plant sciences.

Soil salinity poses a major threat to plant growth and food security. Improving salt tolerance in plants is the common pursuit of global botanists.

HNU team conducted a five-year research on how to improve slat tolerance in rice. “The findings will provide theoretical direction and technical support for breeding salt-tolerant rice varieties,” said HNU College of Biology Associate Professor Li Jianzhong, research member of Prof. Liu Xuanming’s team.

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Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: hn.chinanews.com