MicroRNA networks in rice seeds: unveiling key regulators of development, germination, and rice resilience under climate changes

Climate change threatens global food security by compromising the growth, and development of major crops like rice, a staple food for over half of the world's population. Ensuring sustainable agricultural production in increasingly challenging environments requires a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating plant stress responses. Given the central role of seed physiology in crop establishment and yield, investigating the key regulators of seed reproduction, development and germination offers opportunities to enhance agricultural productivity and strengthen global food security. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as crucial post-transcriptional regulators, controlling fundamental developmental processes and orchestrating plant adaptation to environmental challenges. Recent studies highlight their role in rice seed development and germination, where they modulate gene expression in hormonal signaling pathways, including auxin and abscisic acid, as well as cell proliferation. Understanding these regulatory networks is essential for advancing rice seed biology, enhancing rice resilience, optimizing yield, and mitigating environmental stress. This review explores miRNA-mediated regulation of rice seed physiology, from reproduction to germination, focusing on their role in integrating environmental and hormonal signals. By highlighting their potential role in optimizing key agronomic traits, this review aims to support ongoing efforts to develop targeted strategies to improve crop adaptation to climate change.