Chinese scientists unlock "longevity genes" in wild rice, paving way for perennial crops

A research team in Shanghai has identified key genes that determine the perennial growth habit of wild rice and created new plants by transplanting those genes into cultivated rice.

The new plants are capable of surviving for at least two years with multiple harvests.

The study offers significant potential to reduce agricultural costs and promote sustainable development.

Cultivated rice ranks among the world's most important annual food crops. Yet its ancestor, wild rice, persists as a perennial creeping grass.

The team, from the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), studied how wild rice gradually evolved into the annual, upright-growing cultivated varieties during domestication, a long-standing evolutionary puzzle.

After conducting a systematic analysis of 446 wild rice accessions, the team found that, unlike annual cultivated rice, certain wild rice varieties do not senesce or die after seeds mature.

Instead, they continuously generate new branches from axillary buds at the nodes. These branches extend and take root upon touching the ground, developing into new plants and exhibiting a clonal perennial growth habit.

To isolate the genes responsible for this perennial habit, the researchers performed genetic analysis using a wild rice strain and an annual indica rice variety. They ultimately pinpointed the genomic region and named it Endless Branches and Tillers 1 (EBT1).

By combining EBT1 with two known rice creeping genes, PROG1 and TIG1, the research team created wild-rice-like plants that exhibit strong clonal reproduction capacity and can survive for at least two years in the fields in China's southern island province of Hainan.

"Our rice yields two to three harvests annually, so measured across years, it has persisted for two years. After the spikelet matures, new shoots emerge next to it. It displays strong vitality -- what we call 'longevity genes' -- that keeps it perpetually youthful," said Han Bin, an academician at CAS and one of the leading scientists on the team from CEMPS.

Perennial rice is suitable for sloping farmland and hilly mountainous areas where machinery cannot be used on a large scale, serving as an effective supplement to conventional annual crops and helping ensure China's food security, said the scientists.

The study was published in the journal Science on Friday.

Chinese scientists unlock "longevity genes" in wild rice, paving way for perennial crops

An inheritor of the age-old Tibetan Thangka art form has introduced Chinese painting and sketching techniques to the Thangka classroom as he looks to inspire the next generation, believing that innovation is the best way to carry forward tradition.

Konchoge, a seasoned artist based in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, has adopted the novel approach to add a distinctive flair to his art. His works are striking in that they integrate traditional Chinese painting techniques which reinvigorate the thousand-year-old practice of Thangka.

The subject matter portrayed in Thangka paintings is diverse, ranging from recreations of Princess Wencheng's epic journey to the Xizang region during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) period, to more complex depictions such as Tibetan medical illustrations.

Konchoge explained how embracing sketching techniques helps add another dimension to the historical Thangka practice.

"When we depict animals or figures, the Thangka tradition doesn't have the method of sketching found in traditional Chinese painting. We've embraced this technique, allowing these animals and figures to spring to life, so to speak," he said.

Recognized for his artistic talent, Konchoge was once funded by the state to further his studies at the Academy of Arts and Design at the prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing, where he honed his skills.

Meanwhile, with the government providing annual funding to support the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage, enrollment at the Xizang Academy of Thangka has been freely offered to the public since its founding in 2012, helping to preserve the tradition among a new generation of artists.

"No payment is required; moreover, we provide lunch consisting of three dishes and one soup, accompanied by butter tea and sweet tea," said Konchoge, who now works at the academy.

By integrating techniques from other traditional Chinese arts into his own, Konchoge is achieving a unique cultural fusion. Now, thanks to state support, the Xizang Academy of Thangka is introducing the glories of an enduring and evolving craft to the whole world.

"Preserving the ancient techniques is our mission; innovation is the best way to carry forward the tradition," Konchoge said.

Konchoge's story was featured in a new episode of the documentary "Yes, it's Xizang!" -- which was released by the China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Thursday.

Inheritor of Tibetan Thangka inheritor embraces innovation to carry forward age-old tradition