日本东京大学的研究人员对34种基因变异的水稻进行试验。其中一种水稻缺少 OsDWARF4基因,这种基因控制着与发育相关的类固醇的产生。去除 Os-DWARF4基因后植物的叶子将会变得很僵硬,但是其依然生长正常,而且对开花甚至最后结出种子都不会产生影响。科学家一直在寻找这样的硬叶子水稻,他们相信这种水稻利于谷粒多产。因为硬叶子使光线能 Researchers at Tokyo University in Japan experimentally tested 34 rice varieties with genetic variation. One of the rice species lacks the OsDWARF4 gene, which controls the development of steroid-related production. The leaves of plants will become stiff after removal of the Os-DWARF4 gene, but they will still grow normally and will not affect the flowering or eventual seed formation. Scientists have been looking for such hard leafed rice, which they believe is good for prolific grain production. Because hard leaves make light energy