Small but big player: the important role of microRNAs in rice

Rice is a staple food for more than half of the global population. Research on rice crop establishment and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses helps enhance rice productivity and safeguard food security. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate diverse biological processes in rice, including growth, development, and stress resilience by modulating different target genes. They coordinate rice growth and development primarily through phytohormone signaling (abscisic acid, auxin, and gibberellin) and metabolic pathways (cell proliferation and fatty acid metabolism). Furthermore, they regulate rice stress tolerance by modulating hormone signaling pathways and metabolic pathways such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging. Understanding these regulatory networks is crucial for optimizing rice yield and enhancing stress tolerance. This review synthesizes current understanding of the pivotal roles of miRNAs in regulating rice development and adaptive responses to environmental stimuli. It further discusses the emerging prospects of miRNA applications in rice breeding, laying a conceptual foundation for harnessing miRNA pathways to improve rice productivity and stress resilience, thereby contributing to global food security and agricultural sustainability.