Improving Seed Shattering Resistance in Wild O. alta Rice with Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle Delivery Systems
    作者: Zhujiang Liu, Jingkun Zhang, Yao Cai, Hang Wang, Mingjie Luo, Jiayang Li, Hong Yu, Xiangbing Meng, Yuhong Cao
    刊物名称: Nano Letters
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    摘要:
    To address food security challenges and climate change, the polyploid wild rice Oryza alta has been explored as a potential crop, although it suffers from seed shattering. We employed mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) to deliver small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) for targeted gene silencing. Foliar spraying of MSN-siRNA complexes effectively delivered siRNA, resulting in up to 70% gene silencing of the PDS gene and 75% silencing of the transgenic Ruby gene. Additionally, MSN-siRNAs were infiltrated into the panicles of O. alta to target four seed shattering major genes every other day for 2 weeks until heading outdoors. This method silenced all four shattering genes ranging from 10.7% to 49.4% and significantly reduced the formation of the abscission layer between rice grains and pedicels, which enhanced pedicel tensile strength. Our MSN-siRNA system provides a flexible, nonpermanent approach to modifying crop traits, offering a promising tool for sustainable agricultural practices.