OsNPR1 overexpression plants exhibited growth and developmental defects. A, Morphological phenotypes of adult OsNPR1-OX (G312 and G316) and wild-type (TP309) plants during the heading stage, grown at the Hainan station. Note that G312 and G316 were dwarf and delayed in flowering. B and C, Plant heights and tiller numbers of OsNPR1-OX and wild-type plants. Data shown are means ± sd (n = 20). D, Root architecture of OsNPR1-OX and wild-type plants. E and F, Lengths of primary (E) and lateral (F) roots. Root lengths were measured at 21 d after seed germination. Data shown are means ± sd (n ≥ 24). G, Mature panicles of OsNPR1-OX and wild-type plants as the harvest of each plant. H and I, Grain number per panicle (H) and seed-setting rate (I) were decreased significantly in OsNPR1-OX plants compared with wild-type plants. Data were collected from all panicles of whole plants (n ≥ 5). Asterisks indicate significant differences in comparison with the wild-type TP309 (**, P < 0.01, Student’s t test).