Targeted deletion of the OsCSLC3 5′ UTR improves disease resistance and agronomic traits in rice

The plant cell wall serves as a barrier in defense against pathogen invasion. However, the specific contribution of cell walls in vascular tissues to plant immunity remains largely unexplored. In this study, we demonstrate that OsCSLC3 , a member of the rice cellulose synthase-like ( CSL ) gene family, is predominantly expressed in vascular tissues and that its overexpression promotes hemicellulose biosynthesis. This enhancement of hemicellulose accumulation is associated with improved disease resistance. Targeted editing of conserved cis -regulatory elements in the OsCSLC3 5′ untranslated region (UTR) showed that deletion of the specific fragment (−575 to −824 bp) elevated OsCSLC3 transcript levels, promoted hemicellulose accumulation, enhanced disease resistance, and improved agronomic traits. Our findings highlight a previously underappreciated role for hemicellulose in plant immunity and demonstrate that precise 5′ UTR editing is a promising strategy for improving disease resistance and agronomic traits.