Endogenous melatonin mediated by OsCOMT enhances grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and grain quality in rice.

Endogenous melatonin regulated by OsCOMT boosts rice yield, nitrogen efficiency, and grain quality across diverse nitrogen levels, with up to a significant yield increase in high-melatonin plants.

• Why it matters: Optimizing nitrogen use in rice is critical to balance high yields with sustainable practices, as excessive nitrogen application harms grain quality and environmental health.
• What they did: Researchers conducted two-year field trials on rice plants with altered OsCOMT expression, measuring yield, nitrogen uptake, and grain quality under low, normal, and high nitrogen conditions.
• The result: High-melatonin plants consistently outperformed wild type in yield and nitrogen efficiency, with improved grain quality, demonstrating OsCOMT’s potential as a target for sustainable rice cultivation.