Multi-Omics Approach Reveals as a Regulator Promotes Rice Growth, Grain Development, and Blast Resistance.

Rice () is a crucial crop, achieving high yield concurrent pathogen resistance remains a challenge. Transcription factors play roles in growth and abiotic tolerance. However, rice phytochrome-interacting factor-like 1 () in pathogen resistance and agronomic traits remains unexplored. We generated overexpressing ( OE) rice lines and evaluated their impact on growth, grain development, and resistance to . Multiomics analysis (RNA-seq, metabolomics, and CUT&Tag) and RT-qPCR validated target genes and key metabolites. In the results, OE rice lines exhibited robust growth, longer grains, and enhanced resistance to without compromising growth. Integrative multiomics analysis revealed a coordinated regulatory network centered on , explaining these desirable traits. likely acts as a positive regulator, targeting transcriptional elements or specific genes with direct functions in several biological programs. In particular, a range of key signaling genes (phosphatases, kinases, plant hormone genes, transcription factors), and metabolites (linolenic acid, vitamin E, trigonelline, d-glucose, serotonin, choline, genistein, riboflavin) contributed to enhanced rice growth, grain size, pathogen resistance, or a combination of these traits. These findings highlight 's regulatory role in promoting important traits and provide insights into potential strategies for rice breeding.