Discovery of OsODC as a key enhancer of aroma and development of highly fragrant rice

Rice serves as a staple food for over half of the global population, with fragrant varieties particularly valuable for their distinctive aroma, superior taste, and favorable cooking qualities. These attributes have been methodically perpetuated through generations via selective breeding (Prodhan and Qingyao, 2020). The aroma quality of rice is predominantly determined by the concentration of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP), the key compound responsible for its characteristic fragrance (Okpala et al., 2019).