Superior plant architecture is a key means of enhancing yield potential in high yielding varieties. A newly identified recessive gene, named sd-c, controls plant height and tiller number. Genetic analysis of an F2 population from a cross between the semi-dwarf mutant and japonica cv. Houshengheng showed that the sd-c locus was flanked by SSR markers RM27877 and RM277 on chromosome 12. Thirty nine InDel markers were developed in the region and the sd-c gene was further mapped to a 1 cM centromeric region between InDel markers C11 and C12. These sequenced markers can be used to distinguish wild type and mutants and thus can be used in marker-assisted selection. The sd-c mutant decreases culm length by about 26% and doubles the tiller number without changing seed weight. Until now only sd-1 has been used in indica rice breeding programs. The sd-c mutant seems to have no undesirable pleiotropic effects and is therefore a potential genetic resource for breeding semi-dwarf indica rice cultivars.
Keywords: centromere; plant architecture; positional mapping; semi-dwarf.