Changes in transcript levels in rice leaf sheaths over time

Changes in transcript levels in rice leaf sheaths before and after heading over time. Preventing lodging is an important issue for stable production because the occurrence of lodging can reduce grain yields. In rice, stem strength is important for improving lodging resistance, and leaf sheaths have been known to reinforce stem strength by wrapping around the culm. The present study aimed to test the hypothesis that delayed leaf sheath senescence maintains a high degree of leaf sheath reinforcement. To investigate this hypothesis, RNA-seq was performed on leaf sheaths of two varieties, 'Koshihikari' and 'Chugoku 117', which differ in the degree of leaf sheath reinforcement, and the transcript levels of genes that are indicators of the degree of senescence were evaluated over time.