An LRR-truncated NLR natural variant confers dual resistance to drought and blast in rice

Abstract

Climate change threatens global food security by imposing concurrent abiotic and biotic stresses on major crops such as rice. Genetic resources conferring dual resistance to drought and blast disease are rare, limiting the development of climate-resilient crops. Here, using a genome-wide association study, we identify NLR8-Hap2, a natural allele of the rice resistance gene NLR8 that enhances resistance to drought and blast disease. A single-base deletion in the NLR8-Hap2 coding sequence generates a premature stop codon, resulting in a protein lacking the C-terminal leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain. The dual protective effects of NLR8-Hap2 arise from the enhanced association with and stabilization of OsbHLH148 and OsBIHD1, which regulate drought tolerance and blast defense, respectively. Introgression of NLR8-Hap2 into elite indica and japonica rice cultivars significantly improves dual-stress resistance without detectable yield penalties under normal field conditions. Together, these findings highlight NLR8-Hap2 as a genetic resource for developing multi-stress-resilient rice. Genetic resources with combined resistance to drought and blast disease are scarce. Here, the authors identify NLR8-Hap2, a natural allele of the rice NLR gene NLR8 that encodes an LRR-truncated protein, and show that it enhances resistance to both stresses by stabilizing two distinct transcription factors.