Developmental characterization of embryo size mutant in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

In this experiment, three kinds of mutations(ge, re, and eml )relating to the size of embryos were used to study their generation, genetic mechanism and developmental characteristics, and the interactions between embryo and endosperm were also examined. Giant embryo mutation comprises 7 kinds including the already isolated ge, and ge-2, which share an identical gene site. The SAM and the size of radicule for the ge showed little difference compared to a normal type. The number of embryo cells did not increased as much as it would affect the size of embryo. Therefore, the enlargement of embryo was due to the enlargement of scutellum that originated from the corpulence of each cell. Both F$_1$' s of re ]and odm 49 formed reduce embryos, and other combinations of hybridization showed all wild type of embryo sizes. Accordingly, the odm 49 must have an identical gene site of re 1, while odm 48 and odm 62 have different gene sites. Their shoots and radicules also shrank by the same ratio, however no sign of physical change was noticed. The size of embryo cell showed no change, while the number of cells was the half of that of wild types. The three gene sites of re represent all of them control the size of the entire embryo forming organs. The eml 1 was defined to have temperature sensibilities that the generation of endosperms was active at a high temperature while that was hampered at a low temperature.