Effects of Grain Protein Content Selection on Protein Content and Key Enzyme Activity Involved in Nitrogen Metabolism in Progenies Derived from a Rice Cross

Two japonica rice parents (Tong 769 and Xixuan 1) and their progenies, significantly different in protein content of grains, were investigated to reveal the activities of proteinase in leaves and glutamine synthetase in grains, as well as the dynamic changes of soluble protein content in grains during rice grain filling. The results showed that the parents were very similar in protein content, however, advanced lines with different protein contents in grains and varied activities of proteinase and glutamine synthetase were acquired by consecutively directional selection of the grain protein content in their progenies. Moreover, the enzyme activity and the protein content in grains exceeded their parents during grain filling. The protein content in grains was positively related with the proteinase activity, and the soluble protein content was negatively related with the glutamine synthetase activity in grains to some extent.