Both absolute and facultative photoperiodic flowerings exist in rice(<Feature Articles>Circadian clock and photoperiodic flowering in plants)

Abstract

Recent molecular genetic analyses revealed a general outline of the genetic network in photoperiodic flowering in rice. There are two florigen genes termed Hd3a and RFT1 tandemly arranged in the rice genome functions as molecular switches for floral transition in rice. According to the difference in transcriptional machinery for these genes and in genetic background in rice varieties, some rice varieties behave as an absolute short-day plant, and other varieties behave as a facultative short-day plant. Here, this review focused on what molecular mechanisms are underlying to confer the distinct photoperiodic responses of flowering.