Thermal regulation shapes the coordination of stomatal conductance, transpiration, and photosynthesis in rice.

Heat stress causes rice to decouple photosynthesis and stomatal conductance, with net photosynthesis declining above 30.8°C and stomatal conductance increasing beyond 34.2°C.

• Why it matters: Understanding how rice adapts to rising temperatures is crucial for predicting crop resilience and food security under climate change.
• What they did: A three-year experiment measured stomatal conductance, transpiration, and photosynthesis in rice under ambient and elevated temperatures (+1°C, +2°C, +5°C), tracking responses across growth stages.
• The result: Findings reveal heat-induced shifts in water-use coordination and source-sink dynamics, emphasizing the need to incorporate these mechanisms into models for better climate impact predictions.