Letter to the EditorPublished: 06 April 2026Ge Gao1,2,3 na1,Danjing Lou1,4,5 na1,Yunpeng Li1,4,6 na1,Chao Zhang2,3,Baolin Kan2,3,Hao Wen4,Siyu Wen2,Jun Shu2,4,6,Wenlong Guo1,2,Weihua Qiao ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9876-30541,Qingwen Yang1,Youlin Peng2,Kenneth M. Olsen ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8338-36387,Qian Qian ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0349-49371,2,3 &…Xiaoming Zheng1,4,8 Cell Research (2026)Cite this articleSubjectsLong non-coding RNAsPlant molecular biologyDear Editor,Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as critical regulators of plant growth and development, and their expression orchestrates and integrates multiple processes underlying vital components of the phenotype, including stress adaptation, aspects of phenotypic evolution, and speciation.1 In plants, lncRNA-mediated gene regulation remains poorly understood, even in rice, one of the most important staple foods and a model crop species. In this study, we performed strand-specific RNA sequencing of 188 accessions representing different developmental stages of cultivated (Oryza sativa ssp. japonica and indica) and wild rice (O. rufipogon). We identified a total of 57,162 lncRNAs in the rice genome, established a comprehensive lncRNA annotation resource, and analyzed the molecular mechanisms by which lncRNAs regulate gene expression and influence key agronomic traits. Subsequent functional validation suggested that the lncRNA LBR5 may confer resistance to bacterial blight. This study advances our understanding of the role of the noncoding genome in shaping phenotypic diversity and evolutionary adaptation in rice.This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institutionAccess optionsSubscribe to this journalReceive 12 digital issues and online access to articles118,99 € per yearonly 9,92 € per issueLearn moreBuy this articlePurchase on SpringerLinkInstant access to the full article PDF.39,95 €Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkoutFig. 1: Characteristics and analysis of lncRNAs in rice.ReferencesGoede, O. M. et al. Cell 184, 2633–2648 (2021).Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar Jin, J. J. et al. Nucleic Acids Res. 49, D1489–D1495 (2020).Article Google Scholar Szczesniak, M. W. Plant Cell Physiol. 57, 1–7 (2016).Article Google Scholar Zhang, Y. et al. Viruses 12, 551 (2020).Article Google Scholar Ruiz-Orera, J. et al. 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Genomics 275, 354–366 (2006).Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Download referencesAcknowledgementsThis work was supported by the Hainan Province Science and Technology Special Fund (ZDYF2022XDNY260), the National Key R&D Program of China (2021YFD1200101), the Sanya Yazhouwan Science and Technology City (SKJC-2023-02-001, SCKJ-JYRC-2023-47), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32261143465, 32350710198), the Crop Germplasm Innovation and Creation Program (32188102), the Nanfan special project, CAAS (YBXM2404, YBXM2403), the Hainan Province Nature and Science Fund (2021JJLH0075), the Hainan Province Science and Technology Innovation (KJRC2023A01), and the Hainan Province International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Talent and Exchange Project (Foreign Expert Program) Plan (G20241024007E).Author informationAuthor notesThese authors contributed equally: Ge Gao, Danjing Lou, Yunpeng Li.Authors and AffiliationsState Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Grain Crop Genetic Resources Evaluation and Utilization Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, ChinaGe Gao, Danjing Lou, Yunpeng Li, Wenlong Guo, Weihua Qiao, Qingwen Yang, Qian Qian & Xiaoming ZhengWild Rice Germplasm Resources Innovation Team, Yazhouwan National Laboratory, Sanya, Hainan, ChinaGe Gao, Chao Zhang, Baolin Kan, Siyu Wen, Jun Shu, Wenlong Guo, Youlin Peng & Qian QianCollege of Plant Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, ChinaGe Gao, Chao Zhang, Baolin Kan & Qian QianNational Nanfan Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, ChinaDanjing Lou, Yunpeng Li, Hao Wen, Jun Shu & Xiaoming ZhengInstitute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaDanjing LouChina National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaYunpeng Li & Jun ShuBiology Department, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USAKenneth M. OlsenInternational Rice Research Institute, Metro Manila, PhilippinesXiaoming ZhengAuthorsGe GaoView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarDanjing LouView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarYunpeng LiView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarChao ZhangView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarBaolin KanView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarHao WenView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarSiyu WenView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarJun ShuView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarWenlong GuoView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarWeihua QiaoView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarQingwen YangView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarYoulin PengView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarKenneth M. OlsenView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarQian QianView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarXiaoming ZhengView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarContributionsX.Z. and Q.Q. designed the study. K.M.O. co-wrote the manuscript. G.G. conducted analyses, visualized data, performed most of the experiments, and wrote the manuscript. D.L. performed RNA-seq and genome resequencing assays and conducted GWAS analyses. Y.L. conducted de novo gene analysis and contributed to data visualization. C.Z. contributed to GWAS analysis. B.K. and S.W. contributed to lncRNA regulatory mechanism analysis. H.W. and W.G. contributed to the prediction of lncRNA function. J.S. contributed to CSSL identification and QTL mapping. W.Q., Q.Y., and Y.P. contributed to the writing and editing of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.Corresponding authorsCorrespondence to Kenneth M. Olsen, Qian Qian or Xiaoming Zheng.Ethics declarationsCompeting interestsThe authors declare no competing interests.Additional informationPublisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.Supplementary informationSupplementary information (download PDF )Supplementary Tables (download ZIP )Rights and permissionsReprints and permissionsAbout this article