Metabolomic Insights into the Elite Rice Varieties Unveil Bioactive Resources for Enhancing Global Human Health

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa L.), as a staple food, is a critical target for nutritional enhancement. Understanding the natural variation of the bioactive components in rice bran holds significant promise for improving public health. An untargeted metabolite profiling of elite rice varieties, Jyothi, Jaya and Swarna, by high-resolution liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry enabled mining plant metabolic diversity. The 135 metabolites of 16 bioactive compound classes revealed the unique metabolite profiles of rice varieties. Key metabolites with nutritional and therapeutic potential were identified in brown rice. Mapping of metabolites against the KEGG database identified upregulated primary metabolic pathways crucial for growth and stress response in Jaya. Jyothi exhibited an enhanced phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway associated with compounds beneficial for plant defense and human health. Cutin, suberin, and wax biosynthesis pathways were unique to Swarna, ensuring survival in diverse and challenging environments. Metabolomics-centered analysis highlighted the biochemical distinctness and diversity, essential for targeted breeding for enhancing nutritional value and health benefits.