A study published in New Phytologist shows that the knockout of sugar transporter OsSTP15 promotes tillering by increasing the sugar content in the shoot base of rice. This is highly beneficial for farmers in improving their yield.
Sugar transporter proteins (STPs) play a vital role in sugar transport, which may also contribute to the environmental stress responses in plants. Research analyzing the role of STPs in improving crop yield is still limited. Hence, the researchers conducted a study examining the impact of OsSTP15 knockout in enhancing crop yield.
The findings of the study show that the knockout of OsSTP15 resulted in the accumulation of glucose, sucrose, and trehalose-6-phosphate (Tre6P) in the shoot base from the source leaves. The increased sugar content in the shoot base of rice promotes tillering by stimulating the Cytokinin (CK) signaling pathway involving hormones that promote cell division in plant roots and shoots.
(Source: Crop Biotech Update, International Service for Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications. www.isaaa.org)
