Disruption of the OsWRKY71 transcription factor gene results in early rice seed germination under normal and cold stress conditions.

Background: Early seed germination in crops can confer a competitive advantage against weeds and reduce the time to maturation and harvest. WRKY transcription factors regulate many aspects of plant development including seed dormancy and germination. Both positive and negative regulators of seed germination have been reported in many plants such as rice and Arabidopsis.