Oxidative Stress in Rice (Oryza sativa): Mechanisms, Impact, and Adaptive Strategies

Abstract

Oxidative stress, arising from environmental challenges such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, and pathogen attack, significantly impairs rice (Oryza sativa) growth, yield, and grain quality. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the mechanisms underlying oxidative stress in rice, with a focus on the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), their physiological and molecular impacts, and the antioxidant defense systems employed for mitigation. The roles of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, along with key transcription factors, signaling pathways, and stress-responsive genes, are explored in detail. This study further highlights varietal differences in oxidative stress tolerance, emphasizing traditional, modern, and genetically engineered rice cultivars. Recent advances in breeding strategies, gene editing technologies, and multi-omics integration are discussed as promising approaches for enhancing stress resilience. The regulatory influence of epigenetic modifications and small RNAs in modulating oxidative stress responses is also examined. Finally, this paper identifies critical research gaps-including the need for multi-stress tolerance, long-term field validation, and deeper insights into non-coding RNA functions-and offers recommendations to inform the development of climate-resilient rice varieties through integrative, sustainable strategies.

Keywords: abiotic stress; antioxidant defense; gene regulation; oxidative stress; reactive oxygen species (ROS); rice (Oryza sativa); stress adaptation.

Figure 1

Generation, roles, and detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under oxidative stress in rice.