Shaker potassium channel OsKAT1 regulates root K<sup>+</sup> uptake and lodging resistance in rice under low K<sup>+</sup> stress

Wenxuan Yu; Jun Fu; Yanfeng Li; Shufeng Gao; Shengping Wang; Lei Jin; Ziyi Wang; Wenjing Li; Chen Wang; Niwen Tang; Junping Gao; Tianze Yan; Qunfeng Zhou; Kai Wang; Sheng Luan; Liangbi Chen; Zhonghua Liu; Yuanzhu Yang; Dandan Mao

doi:10.1016/j.jgg.2026.07.007

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Shaker potassium channel OsKAT1 regulates root K⁺ uptake and lodging resistance in rice under low K⁺ stress

doi: 10.1016/j.jgg.2026.07.007

a. Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Crop Sterile Germplasm Resource Innovation and Application. Hunan Research Center of the Basic Discipline Developmental Biology. College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China;
b. Key Laboratory of Southern Rice Innovation & Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Hunan Engineering Laboratory of Disease and Pest Resistant Rice Breeding. Yuan Longping High-Tech Agriculture Co., Ltd, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China;
c. Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Hunan Institute of Microbiology, Changsha, Hunan 410125, China;
d. Technology Center, China Tobacco Hunan Industrial Co., Ltd., Changsha, Hunan 410007, China;
e. Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720

Funds:

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation of Hunan province (Grants No. 2021JJ30013, 2022JJ30382), Hunan Province Major Basic Research Projects (Grant No. 2026JC0008), the Science and Technology Projects of HNTI (Grant No. KY2025YC0015).

Received Date: 2026-01-26
Accepted Date: 2026-07-17
Rev Recd Date: 2026-07-16

Available Online: 2026-07-27

Abstract

Abstract

Widespread potassium (K) deficiency in paddy soils, coupled with the low potassium use efficiency (KUE) of rice, has driven research on genetically improving KUE for sustainable rice production. Breeding high-KUE rice cultivars requires thorough understanding of root K⁺ uptake molecular mechanisms mediated by specific K⁺ channels and transporters. Here, we characterize the Shaker-type K⁺ channel OsKAT1 in rice. Disruption of OsKAT1 impairs root K⁺ uptake, resulting in reduced K⁺ accumulation and severe growth retardation under low-K⁺ stress. Conversely, overexpression of OsKAT1 enhances root K⁺ acquisition and promotes rice growth. Notably, OsKAT1-overexpressing lines exhibit increased culm diameter and improved bending resistance, thereby enhancing lodging tolerance. OsKAT1 overexpression also significantly increases grain size and weight under both K⁺-sufficient and low-K⁺ conditions. Natural variation at the OsKAT1 locus correlates with differential gene expression among haplotypes, with Hap 2 and Hap 3 conferring superior tolerance to low-K⁺ stress. Additionally, our results suggest that the expression pattern and physiological function of OsKAT1 may be cultivar-dependent. Collectively, these findings establish OsKAT1 as a key integrator of low-K⁺ adaptation, lodging resistance, and yield enhancement in rice, offering a promising genetic target for breeding rice varieties with improved KUE and yield potential.
- Rice,
- OsKAT1,
- low K⁺,
- lodging,
- natural variation

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