Regrowing Rice? Chinese Scientists Identify Gene That Could Make it Possible

Chinese scientists have identified a gene in wild rice that allows the plant to grow back year after year, a finding that could open the door to developing perennial rice and reshape how the crop is farmed.

The study, published in Science, was led by researchers Han Bin and Wang Jiawei at the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The team pinpointed a gene called EBT1, which enables some wild rice to regrow after flowering instead of dying, as most modern rice varieties do.

In today's farms, rice is typically an annual crop, meaning it must be replanted each season. But some wild rice behave differently: After producing seeds, they send out new shoots from buds along the stem. These shoots can take root and grow into new plants, allowing the rice to sustain itself over multiple years.

The researchers found that this ability comes from a pair of tiny genetic regulators within EBT1. In wild rice, these genes switch back on after flowering, effectively resetting the plant and allowing it to start growing again.

The study also suggests this trait was lost as rice was domesticated. Early farmers selected plants that were easier to harvest and produced higher yields, unintentionally breeding out the ability to regrow.

To test their findings, the team introduced EBT1 alongside two other genes related to creeping growth into cultivated rice. The resulting plants were able to grow vigorously and survive for at least two years in field trials, showing that perennial rice may be achievable.

Researchers say the discovery could have wide applications. Rice that regrows on its own would reduce the need for replanting, lower labor and other costs, and make farming more sustainable, an important step as agriculture faces growing pressure from climate change and global food demand.