Stay-Green Panicle Branches Improve Processing Quality of Elite Rice Cultivars

Rice panicle branches are key routes for transportation of photosynthetic products to grains. Branch senescence is an important trait that the breeders considered when breeding elite rice cultivars in South China. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the contributions of stay-green panicle branches to rice yield and quality. Here, we reported stay-green branches that continuously maintained transportation function and provided carbohydrates for basal grain development at the late stages of rice development. This ensured the coordination of development between apical and basal grains, and further improved the processing quality of elite rice. These findings provided strategies for improving the fullness and quality of rice grains and presented an important basis for cultivating elite rice.