Identification of Increased Grain Length 1 (IGL1), a novel gene encoded by a major QTL for modulating grain length in rice.

A novel quantitative trait locus qIGL1, which performed a positive function in regulating grain length in rice, was cloned by the map-based cloning approach; further studies revealed that it corresponded to LOC_Os03g30530, and the IGL1 appeared to contribute to lengthening and widening of the cells on the surface of grain hulls. Grain length is a prominent determinant for grain weight and appearance quality of rice. In this study, we conducted quantitative trait locus mapping to determine a genomic interval responsible for a long-grain phenotype observed in a japonica cultivar HD385.