Dry matter and grain production of a near-isogenic line carrying a 'Takanari' (high yielding, Indica) allele for increased leaf inclination angle in rice with the 'Koshihikari' (Japonica) genetic background

To increase rice production, manipulating plant architecture, especially developing new high-yielding cultivars with erect leaves, is crucial in rice breeding programs. Leaf inclination angle determines the light extinction coefficient (k) of the canopy. Erect leaves increase light penetration into the canopy and enable dense plantings with a high leaf area index, thus increasing biomass production and grain yield. Because of erect leaves, the high-yielding indica rice cultivar 'Takanari' has smaller k during ripening than 'Koshihikari', a japonica cultivar with good eating quality. In our previous study, using chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) derived from a cross between 'Takanari' and 'Koshihikari', we detected seven quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for leaf inclination angle on chromosomes 1 (two QTLs), 2, 3, 4, 7, and 12. In this study, we developed a near-isogenic line (NIL-3) carrying a 'Takanari' allele for increased leaf inclination angle on chromosome 3 in the 'Koshihikari' genetic background. We compared k, dry matter production, and grain yield of NIL-3 with those of 'Koshihikari' in the field from 2013 to 2016. NIL-3 had higher inclination angles of the flag, second, and third leaves at full heading and 3 (- 4) weeks after full heading and smaller k of the canopy at the ripening stage. Biomass at full heading and leaf area index at full heading and at harvest did not significantly differ between NIL-3 and 'Koshihikari'. However, biomass at harvest was significantly greater in NIL-3 than in 'Koshihikari' due to a higher net assimilation rate at the ripening stage. The photosynthetic rates of the flag and third leaves did not differ between NIL-3 and Koshihikari at ripening. Grain yield was higher in NIL-3 than 'Koshihikari'. Higher panicle number per square meter in NIL-3 contributed to the higher grain yield of NIL-3. We conclude that the QTL on chromosome 3 increases dry matter and grain production in rice by increasing leaf inclination angle.