Maternal effect contributes to grain‐filling defects of Ospho1;2 rice mutants.

The article published in the New Phytologist on October 15, 2024, explores the impact of OsPHO1;2 rice mutants on grain-filling defects. The study reveals that OsPHO1;2 plays a crucial role in transferring phosphate from maternal to filial tissues in developing seeds, affecting grain quality and yield. The research suggests that the grain-filling defects in Ospho1;2 mutants are primarily due to impaired phosphate unloading from maternal tissues, challenging previous models proposed by other studies. Reciprocal crosses between Ospho1;2 mutants and wild-type rice further confirm the maternal effect contributing to the observed grain defects. [Extracted from the article]