OsSFR6 is a functional rice orthologue of SENSITIVE TO FREEZING-6 and can act as a regulator of COR gene expression, osmotic stress and freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis

The Arabidopsis protein SENSITIVE TO FREEZING-6 (AtSFR6) is required for cold- and drought-inducible expression of COLD-ON REGULATED (COR) genes and, as a consequence, AtSFR6 is essential for osmotic stress and freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis. Therefore, orthologues of AtSFR6 in crop species represent important candidate targets for future manipulation of stress tolerance. We identified and cloned a homologue of AtSFR6 from rice (Oryza sativa), OsSFR6, and confirmed its orthology in Arabidopsis. OsSFR6 was identified by homology searches, and a full-length coding region isolated using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from Oryza sativa cDNA. To test for orthology, OsSFR6 was expressed in an Arabidopsis sfr6 loss-of-function mutant background, and restoration of wild-type phenotypes was assessed. Searching the rice genome revealed a single homologue of AtSFR6. Cloning and sequencing the OsSFR6 coding region showed OsSFR6 to have 61.7% identity and 71.1% similarity to AtSFR6 at the predicted protein sequence level. Expression of OsSFR6 in the atsfr6 mutant background restored the wild-type visible phenotype, as well as restoring wild-type levels of COR gene expression and tolerance of osmotic and freezing stresses. OsSFR6 is an orthologue of AtSFR6, and thus a target for future manipulation to improve tolerance to osmotic and other abiotic stresses

Allelopathic potential of rice residues of selected rice varieties (Oryza sativa L.) against Echinochloa crus-galli

Allelopathic potential of rice residues of selected rice varieties (Oryza sativa L.) against Echinochloa crus-galliAbstract Allelopathic compounds will play a vital role in sustainable weed control in paddy cultivation in future. Exploitation and implementation of this technology in weed management has been considered as ecologically sound, resource conserving and economically viable method.  The objective of this study was to assess the allelopathic traits of rice residues of selected (Bg359, Ld365, Bg407, At401, Bg358, At362, At402, Bg450, Bg300, Herathbanda and Handiran) rice cultivars to control of barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli) one of the most destructive weed in Sri  Lankan paddy ecosystem. Completely Randomize Design was used with three replicates for each cultivar. According to the research findings, significant differences (p≤0.05) were observed among cultivars and amount of residue mixed with sand (2.0, 4.0, 6.0g of ground residue per 500.0g of sand) in terms of barnyard grass plant height, number of leaves, germination and total dry weight. Among those measured variables germination and dry matter of barnyard grass showed significant reduction when increasing amount of rice residue. Among different cultivars used Ld365 showed the highest inhibition % for all above measured variables and the lowest was the Herathbanda. As an example the inhibition percentages of plant height, seed germination and shoot dry weight of Ld365 were 60%, 56% and 65% respectively. In contrast, rice cultivar Herathbanda caused 27%, 26% and 26% inhibition respectively for above mentioned parameters. When comparing  three levels of rice residue mixture   63% dry weight reduction was observed  in 6.0g rice residue  and (51%)  4.0g and 27% with  2.0g  mixture. Furthermore percentage germination also reduced with increased amount of rice residue mixture. It indicated that highest in 6.0g, which is 49% closely followed by 4.0g (41%) and the lowest is 2.0g by 12%. Therefore, it could be suggested that the allelopathic potential of rice residue significantly changes with cultivar and amount of residue mix with soil. Knowledge of rice allelophathic properties of rice residue will offer several possibilities for ecological management of weeds in paddy fields of Sri Lanka. Keywords: -      Allelopathy, Echinocloa crus-galli,  Inhibition, Oryza sativa</p

The Mediator subunit SFR6/MED16 controls defence gene expression mediated by salicylic acid and jasmonate responsive pathways

Arabidopsis SENSITIVE TO FREEZING6 (SFR6) controls cold- and drought-inducible gene expression and freezing- and osmotic-stress tolerance. Its identification as a component of the MEDIATOR transcriptional co-activator complex led us to address its involvement in other transcriptional responses. • Gene expression responses to Pseudomonas syringae, ultraviolet-C (UV-C) irradiation, salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) were investigated in three sfr6 mutant alleles by quantitative real-time PCR and susceptibility to UV-C irradiation and Pseudomonas infection were assessed. • sfr6 mutants were more susceptible to both Pseudomonas syringae infection and UV-C irradiation. They exhibited correspondingly weaker PR (pathogenesis-related) gene expression than wild-type Arabidopsis following these treatments or after direct application of SA, involved in response to both UV-C and Pseudomonas infection. Other genes, however, were induced normally in the mutants by these treatments. sfr6 mutants were severely defective in expression of plant defensin genes in response to JA; ectopic expression of defensin genes was provoked in wild-type but not sfr6 by overexpression of ERF5. • SFR6/MED16 controls both SA- and JA-mediated defence gene expression and is necessary for tolerance of Pseudomonas syringae infection and UV-C irradiation. It is not, however, a universal regulator of stress gene transcription and is likely to mediate transcriptional activation of specific regulons only.</p