Molecular Regulatory Network of Flowering by Photoperiod and Temperature in Rice

Plants have an ability to flower under optimal seasonal conditions to ensure reproductive success. Photoperiod and temperature are two important season-dependent factors of plant flowering. The floral transition of plants depends on accurate measurement of changes in photoperiod and temperature. Recent advances in molecular biology and genetics on Arabidopsis and rice reveals that the regulation of plant flowering by photoperiod and temperature are involved in a complicated gene network with different regulatory pathways, and new evidence and understanding were provided in the regulation of rice flowering. Here, we summarize and analyze different flowering regulatory pathways in detail in rice based on previous studies and our results, including short-day promotion, long-day suppression, long-day induction of flowering, night break, different light-quality and temperature regulation pathways.