Research Progress on Photoperiod Gene Regulation of Heading Date in Rice

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

-          The title  reflects the paper content. 

 -          This work represents a significant contribution to the determination of the regulatory influence of genetic and environmental factors on critical physiological processes in rice, primarily the time of heading in rice based on the study of the role of photoperiod, the mechanism of genetic control of photoperiod with the florigen genes Hd3a and RFT1.

 -          Investigation on rice flowering regulation has significantly contribution to  understanding of the molecular mechanisms of flowering induction and regulation. The identification of  new genes is important in determination the mechanisms of gene interactions and understanding, complexity of the molecular regulatory network. The molecular network for flowering regulation involves hormone pathways, autonomous pathways, and temperature pathways, which interact with the photoperiod pathway to precisely control flowering time, highlighting the complexity of flowering mechanisms.

 -          The main question of research is addressed to identify the localization, cloning, gene function of photoperiodic pathway-related genes, gene interactions, and the pleiotropic effects of heading date genes.

 -          The study of rice flowering regulation mechanisms has broad applications beyond basic research. Research on pivotal flowering genes such as Hd3a, DTH8, and Ghd7 has illustrated heterosis, with different allele combinations outperforming parental lines in traits like grain number per panicle, seed setting rate, and grain yield. These discoveries are widely applied in hybrid rice breeding.

 -          Key words are appropriate.

 -          The aim of research  is not written! The aim of the research should be clearly pointed out  as a separate paragraph at the end of the Introduction chapter.

 -          (For exsample. The aim of the paper is to present an overview of  the localization, cloning, and molecular regulatory mechanisms of genes associated with the rice heading date, and forecasting the application of these genes in genetic enhancements targeting rice heading date).

  -          Results are clearly presented and discussed.

 -          Tables, figures, pictures are clear.

-          The Conclusion is missing in the paper and should be written based on the presented  results.

 -          Manuscript is acceptable after minor corrections.

Suggestion:

-Abbreviations should be listed before the introduction or according to the editor's suggestions.

Author Response

Comment 1:The aim of the research is not written. The aim should be clearly pointed out as a separate paragraph at the end of the Introduction chapter.

Response 1:We appreciate the reviewer’s suggestion. We have added a clearly stated research aim at the end of the Introduction, outlining the study's focus on the localization, cloning, and molecular regulatory mechanisms of genes associated with rice heading date, and discussing the potential applications of these genes in genetic enhancements targeting rice heading date.

Comment 2:The Conclusion is missing in the paper and should be written based on the presented results.

Response 2: We agree with the reviewer’s observation. We have included a Conclusion section that summarizes the key findings of our study, emphasizing the identification and functional analysis of photoperiod-related genes and their implications for rice breeding.

Comment 3:Abbreviations should be listed before the introduction or according to the editor's suggestions.

Response 3: Thank you for the suggestion. We have ensured that all abbreviations are clearly explained upon their first appearance in the manuscript, as per the journal's guidelines.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The review article titled “Research progress on photoperiod gene regulation of heading date in rice” submitted by Liqun Tang et al., reports the localization, cloning, and molecular regulatory mechanisms of genes associated with the rice heading date, while discussing and forecasting the application of these genes in targeting rice heading date. I encourage the authors to revise this review following the comments stipulated below:

1.      The abstract section is incomplete. I would suggest the authors to revise the abstract and add a structured abstract. Indicate the novelty and research gaps in this section.

2.      Introduction section is not well-organized, lacking coherence, missing references Line 24-54, not cited properly. The flow of information is not up to the mark. Moreover, it is suggested to indicate importance/novelty in the introduction section of this review to increase its merit for citations.

3.      Revise the title; Table 1. Some cloned genes related to the photoperiodic flowering pathway in.

4.      If possible, add plant/cultivar name in table 1.

5.      Revise the caption add more details; Figure 1. Photoperiodic regulatory pathway of rice flowering.

6.      Elaborate and cite it properly Line 105-110; Photoperiod sensitivity in rice heading involves major genes 105 such as Hd1, Ghd7, and DTH8. Hd1 promotes heading under all photoperiods when Ghd7 and DTH8 are knocked out, while Ghd7 inhibits heading. Under LD conditions, Hd1 promotes Ghd7 expression, and Ghd7 and DTH8 form inhibitory complexes that partially or completely silence the Ehd1-Hd3a/RFT1 pathway, leading to delayed or absent heading. Under SD conditions, low Ghd7 expression allows Hd1 to compete with the inhibi tory complex, promoting Hd3a/RFT1 expression and heading.

7.      Line 213-228; missing references, make it reader-friendly.

8.      Revise the section 5 “Prospects” add future research direction

 

9.        Add concluding remarks/section

Author Response

Comment 1:  The abstract section is incomplete. I would suggest the authors to revise the abstract and add a structured abstract. Indicate the novelty and research gaps in this section.

Response 1:  Thank you for your feedback. We have revised the abstract to include a structured format, clearly indicating the novelty and research gaps of our study. This will provide a comprehensive overview of our research on the photoperiod gene regulation of heading date in rice.

Comment 2:  Introduction section is not well-organized, lacking coherence, missing references Line 24-54, not cited properly. The flow of information is not up to the mark. Moreover, it is suggested to indicate importance/novelty in the introduction section of this review to increase its merit for citations.

Response 2:  We appreciate your comments. We have reorganized the Introduction section to improve coherence and flow, and ensure all references are properly cited. We will also emphasize the importance and novelty of the research to enhance the section's merit.

Comment 3: Revise the title; Table 1. Some cloned genes related to the photoperiodic flowering pathway in.

Response 3:Thank you for pointing this out. We have revised the title of Table 1 to more accurately reflect the content.

Comment 4: If possible, add plant/cultivar name in Table 1.

Response 4: Thank you for your insightful feedback. We appreciate your suggestion to add the plant/cultivar names in Table 1. However, we regret to inform you that this information is not available for all the genes listed. The genes were selected based on their relevance to the photoperiodic regulation of flowering in rice, and in many cases, the specific plant/cultivar names were not specified in the original studies.

Comment 5: Revise the caption add more details; Figure 1. Photoperiodic regulatory pathway of rice flowering.

Response 5: We have revise the caption for Figure 1 to include more detailed information about the photoperiodic regulatory pathway of rice flowering, enhancing its clarity and comprehensiveness.

Comment 6: Elaborate and cite it properly Line 105-110; Photoperiod sensitivity in rice heading involves major genes such as Hd1, Ghd7, and DTH8. Hd1 promotes heading under all photoperiods when Ghd7 and DTH8 are knocked out, while Ghd7 inhibits heading. Under LD conditions, Hd1 promotes Ghd7 expression, and Ghd7 and DTH8 form inhibitory complexes that partially or completely silence the Ehd1-Hd3a/RFT1 pathway, leading to delayed or absent heading. Under SD conditions, low Ghd7 expression allows Hd1 to compete with the inhibitory complex, promoting Hd3a/RFT1 expression and heading.

Response 6:  We will elaborate on and properly cite the information in Lines 105-110 to provide a clearer understanding of the role of major genes in photoperiod sensitivity and their interactions in rice heading.

Comment 7:  Line 213-228; missing references, make it reader-friendly.

Response 7: We will ensure that all references are included for Lines 213-228 and revise the text to make it more reader-friendly, improving its accessibility and comprehensibility.

Comment 8:  Revise the section 5 “Prospects” add future research direction.

Response 8:  We will revise Section 5 “Prospects” to include a discussion on future research directions, highlighting potential areas for further investigation and advancement in the field.

Comment 9:  Add concluding remarks/section.

Response 9:  We will add a concluding remarks section to summarize the key findings of the review and their implications, providing a cohesive end to the article.