Molecular Plant Breeding 2025, Vol.16, No.3, 165-179 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/mpb 165 Research Insight Open Access Molecular Mechanisms of Rice Drought Resistance Genes and Their Prospects in Breeding Nant Nyein Zar Ni Naing1,4, Chunli Wang1,3, Xiaoli Zhou1,5, Cui Zhang1,3, Junjie Li1,3, Juan Li1,2,3, Qian Zhu1,2,3, Dongsun Lee1,2,3, Lijuan Chen1,2,3 1 Rice Research Institute, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China 2 The Key Laboratory for Crop Production and Smart Agriculture of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China 3 State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China 4 Department of Plant Breeding, Physiology and Ecology, Yezin Agricultural University (YAU), Nay Pyi Taw, 15013, Myanmar 5 College of Agricultural Science, Xichang University, Liangshan, 615013, Sichuan, China Corresponding email: chenlijuan@hotmail.com Molecular Plant Breeding, 2025, Vol.16, No.3 doi: 10.5376/mpb.2025.16.0017 Received: 19 Apr., 2025 Accepted: 21 May, 2025 Published: 30 May, 2025 Copyright © 2025 Naing et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the creative commons attribution license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Naing N.N.Z.N., Wang C.L., Zhou X.L., Zhang C., Li J.J., Li J., Zhu Q., Lee D.S., and Chen L.J., 2025, Molecular mechanisms of rice drought resistance genes and their prospects in breeding, Molecular Plant Breeding, 16(3): 165-179 (doi: 10.5376/mpb.2025.16.0017) Abstract Drought resistance in rice is a critical trait for ensuring stable yields in the face of increasing water scarcity. This review explores the molecular mechanisms underlying drought resistance genes in rice and their potential applications in breeding programs. Drought tolerance in rice is a complex trait influenced by various genetic and physiological factors. Recent advancements in genetic engineering, marker-assisted selection (MAS), and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified key genes and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with drought resistance. Several key genes closely associated with drought resistance have been appraised for their appreciable potential in drought resistance breeding. For instance, the overexpression of OsERF71 in transgenic rice has been shown to enhance drought tolerance by modulating global gene expression and energy allocation. Additionally, the identification of drought-responsive genes through transcriptome analysis and gene co-expression networks has provided insights into the biological processes and metabolic pathways involved in drought tolerance. The integration of these molecular insights into breeding programs, such as the use of MAS and genetic transformation, has led to the development of rice varieties with improved drought resistance. This review highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, combining molecular genetics, plant physiology, and advanced breeding techniques, to develop rice cultivars that can withstand drought conditions and ensure food security. Keywords Drought resistance; Rice breeding; Molecular genetics; Gene expression; Marker-assisted selection (MAS) 1 Introduction Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food for more than half of the world’s population, particularly in developing countries (Hadiarto and Tran, 2011; Chen et al., 2013). However, rice cultivation is highly susceptible to drought stress, which significantly affects its growth, development, and yield (Sandhu and Kumar, 2017; Oladosu et al., 2019). Drought is one of the most severe environmental stresses, leading to substantial crop yield losses and posing a major threat to food security (Hu and Xiong, 2014; Pant et al., 2022). The increasing global population and changing climatic conditions exacerbate the challenge of ensuring stable rice production under water-deficit conditions. Therefore, developing drought-resistant rice varieties is crucial for sustaining rice production and ensuring food security (Hadiarto and Tran, 2011; Chen et al., 2013; Swamy and Kumar, 2013). Drought resistance in rice is a complex trait governed by multiple genes and involves various physiological and molecular mechanisms (Chen et al., 2013; Selamat and Nadarajah, 2021). Key mechanisms include osmotic adjustment, scavenging of oxidative radicals, and regulation of endogenous hormones such as abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) (Chen et al., 2013; Pant et al., 2022). Advances in biotechnology have enabled the identification and manipulation of drought-responsive genes, including transcription factors (TFs), protein kinases, and other regulatory proteins (Hadiarto and Tran, 2011; Selamat and Nadarajah, 2021; Pant et al., 2022). QTL mapping and MAS have been instrumental in identifying genetic regions associated with drought tolerance and incorporating them into breeding programs (Swamy and Kumar, 2013; Sandhu and Kumar, 2017). Additionally,
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