Rice tolerance to suboptimal low temperatures relies on the maintenance of the photosynthetic capacity

The purpose of this research was to identify differences between two contrasting rice cultivars in their response to suboptimal low temperatures stress. A transcriptomic analysis of the seedlings was performed and results were complemented with biochemical and physiological analyses. The microarray analysis showed downregulation of many genes related with PSII and particularly with the oxygen evolving complex in the sensitive cultivar IR50. Complementary studies indicated that the PSII performance, the degree of oxygen evolving complex coupling with the PSII core and net photosynthetic rate diminished in this cultivar in response to the stress. However, the tolerant cultivar Koshihikari was able to maintain its energy equilibrium by sustaining the photosynthetic capacity. The increase of oleic acid in Koshihikari could be related with membrane remodelling of the chloroplasts and hence contribute to tolerance. Overall, these results work as a ground for future analyses that look forward to characterize possible mechanisms to tolerate this stress.