Preharvest sprouting (PHS) remains a severe agricultural problem in rice and other crops. This study investigated the exact effect of Rc gene on PHS resistance along with seed and milled rice quality using two sets of near‐isogenic line‐derived populations, and showed the advantages of the Rc gene over other dormancy‐associated genes in protecting against PHS. Rc gene has a significant effect on PHS resistance, and Rc‐controlled dormancy does not negatively affect next agricultural production cycle. Importantly, Rc has a completely dominant maternal effect on PHS resistance, which confers an advantage to hybrid rice over inbred rice, and the effect fails to be counteracted by GA application in hybrid seed production. Moreover, Rc gene retains the same milled rice qualities of brown‐pericarp rice as that of white‐pericarp rice, and the brown‐pericarp rice possesses a higher antioxidative capacity than the white‐pericarp rice. Thus, wide application of the Rc gene would not only protect against PHS, but would also enhance the production of naturally occurring antioxidants that could make a significant contribution to human health.

中文翻译：

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水稻（Oryza sativa）Rc基因提高了对收获前发芽的抵抗力，并保留了种子和碾米的品质

水稻和其他农作物的收获前发芽（PHS）仍然是一个严重的农业问题。这项研究使用两组近等基因系衍生种群调查了Rc基因对PHS抗性以及种子和碾米品质的确切影响，并显示了Rc基因相对于其他休眠相关基因在预防PHS方面的优势。Rc基因对PHS抗性具有重要影响，Rc控制的休眠不会对下一个农业生产周期产生负面影响。重要的是，Rc对PHS抗性具有完全主导的母体效应，这给杂交水稻带来了优于自交水稻的优势，并且在杂种种子生产中，GA的应用不能抵消这种作用。而且，Rc基因保留了与白皮米相同的碾米果皮品质，并且棕皮米具有比白皮米更高的抗氧化能力。因此，Rc基因的广泛应用不仅可以预防PHS，还可以增强天然抗氧化剂的产生，而抗氧化剂可以对人类健康做出重要贡献。