水稻是世界上最重要的粮食作物之一，其株型改良是水稻品种选育的核心指标。水稻株型的主要决定因素包括株高、分蘖数目、分蘖角度和穗型。目前已相继克隆了许多调控分蘖发育的关键基因，包括调控分蘖起始的基因MONOCULM 1（MOC1）、调控MOC1蛋白降解的基因Tillering and Dwarf 1（TAD1）、控制分蘖角度的基因LAZY 1（LA1）、以及多个独角金内酯合成和信号途径的关键调控因子DWARF（D）等。对这些基因功能的深入研究表明，分蘖数目、分蘖角度及株高之间并不完全孤立，水稻产量的提高需要它们的协同配合。本项目将在前期研究的基础上，通过遗传学、生物化学、细胞生物学及组学等手段研究分蘖形成与株高协同调控、水稻分蘖角度与分蘖数协同调控的遗传机制及其调控网络，同时研究分蘖与水分、离子营养吸收再分配的遗传关系，旨在挖掘调控株型的主效新基因，从中发现提高产量的可利用的基因资源。

Rice is the staple food for more than half the world’s population. Plant height, tiller number, tiller angle, and panicle architecture are main determinants of rice plant architecture, which affect grain production in the field. Previous studies identified various key genes involved in rice tillering, including MONOCULM 1(MOC1) , Tillering and Dwarf 1(TAD1), LAZY 1(LA1), and DWARF(D), etc. In-depth analysis of these genes revealed that plant height, tiller number, and tiller angle regulate rice plant architecture and production in a coordinative manner. In this project, we are going to dissect the genetic network of the control of rice plant architecture. We will use genetics, biochemical, biological and genomics technologies to identify the genetic network involved in the regulation of plant height, tiller number and tiller angle, as well as their in determining rice plant architecture. Meanwhile, we are going to further elucidate the genetic mechanism of redistribution of water and ions-mediated rice tillering. We are attempting to identify novel major regulators in the control of rice plant architecture and to evaluate their potential in the improvement of grain yields.