Heat priming improves spikelet fertility and seed germination under heat stress with proteomic changes in IR64 (Oryza sativa L.).

Heat priming at the tillering stage enhances spikelet fertility and seed germination under heat stress in IR64 rice, with up to 50% improvement observed.

• Why it matters: Heat stress during reproductive stages causes significant yield loss and reduces seed viability, highlighting the need for strategies to improve heat tolerance in rice.
• What they did: The study applied heat priming at different developmental stages in IR64 rice, followed by heat stress at flowering, and analyzed growth, reproductive traits, seed germination, and proteomic responses.
• The result: Primed plants, especially with tillering-stage priming, showed higher fertility and faster germination under heat stress, linked to changes in proteins involved in stress response, metabolism, and regulation.