Abstract: Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) refers to the phenomenon in which cereal crop seeds germinate on the mother plant under humidity conditions prior to harvest, representing a major constraint on crop yield and seed production. In recent years, with the increasing frequency of extreme climate, PHS have become more common, resulting in substantial economic losses in agriculture. The PHS process primarily involves two key physiological stages: the release of seed dormancy and the initiation of germination. This paper provides a systematic review of research advances in the mechanisms underlying rice seed dormancy and germination over the past two decades. Furthermore, a chromosomal distribution map of cloned rice genes associated with seed dormancy and germination has been constructed, offering precise genetic information for PHS resistance breeding in rice. Additionally, this paper summarizes the regulatory roles of epigenetic factors and non-coding RNAs in rice seed dormancy and germination. It further discusses the molecular mechanisms through which environmental factors such as light, temperature, and water influence these processes, and proposes potential research directions concerning the interaction between environmental cues and plant hormones in the regulation of PHS. Drawing on recent application cases of PHS-resistant genes, this study also outlines future prospects for rice PHS resistance breeding strategies.

Key words: Rice, Pre-harvest sprouting, Seed dormancy, Seed germination