Cold Tolerance Mechanisms in Rice Varieties

Rice is inherently sensitive to low temperatures, which can impair germination, disrupt pollen development and reduce grain yield. Cold tolerance arises from a coordinated network of sensing, signalling and protective mechanisms spanning cellular, molecular and physiological levels. Membrane-associated receptors detect temperature decline and initiate downstream kinase cascades. Transcription factors modulate hormone homeostasis and antioxidant defences, while lipid remodelling maintains membrane integrity. Natural variation in key genes and quantitative trait loci underpins adaptive haplotypes in temperate japonica and indica subspecies. Stage-specific mechanisms operate at seedling, booting and flowering phases, ensuring meristem survival and successful reproduction. Breeding strategies now integrate precise QTL mapping, gene cloning and genome editing to introduce beneficial alleles into elite cultivars, facilitating rice cultivation in cooler regions and safeguarding global food security.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have identified a membrane-bound complex comprising a receptor-like protein and associated kinase that senses chilling and triggers a mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade, thereby bolstering seedling survival under suboptimal temperatures. Evolutionary analyses reveal that this sensing complex originated in wild rice and became fixed in japonica during domestication. Foundational work on a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase demonstrated how allelic variation elevates ATP synthase activity in cold conditions, enhancing panicle development and yield in high-latitude environments. These advances illuminate entry points for molecular breeding and underscore the adaptive trajectories of cold-tolerance genes in rice.

Cold Tolerance Mechanisms in Rice Varieties publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in cold tolerance mechanisms in rice varieties across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Quantitative trait locus (QTL): A genomic region associated with variation in a measurable trait.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive molecules derived from oxygen that can damage cellular components under stress.

Haplotype: A combination of alleles or DNA variants at adjacent loci that are inherited together.

Leucine-rich repeat receptor-like protein (LRR-RLP): A membrane-bound protein characterised by repeating leucine-rich motifs that perceive external signals.

Booting stage: The reproductive phase in rice when the panicle is enclosed within the sheath and is highly susceptible to cold injury.

References

1. The COG1-OsSERL2 complex senses cold to trigger signaling network for chilling tolerance in japonica rice. Nature Communications (2023).
2. Natural variation in CTB4a enhances rice adaptation to cold habitats. Nature Communications (2017).
3. Natural variation reveals that OsSAP16 controls low-temperature germination in rice. Journal of Experimental Botany (2017).
4. Reduction of Gibberellin by Low Temperature Disrupts Pollen Development in Rice. Plant Physiology (2014).
5. Transcriptional regulatory network triggered by oxidative signals configures the early response mechanisms of japonica rice to chilling stress. BMC Plant Biology (2010).
6. CTB6 Confers Cold Tolerance at the Booting Stage by Maintaining Tapetum Development in Rice. Advanced Science (2025).
7. Natural variation in CTF1 conferring cold tolerance at the flowering stage in rice. Plant Biotechnology Journal (2025).
8. Rice and cold stress: methods for its evaluation and summary of cold tolerance-related quantitative trait loci. Rice (2014).