NF-Y transcription factors have aroused interest in roles of plant drought stress responses.
Expression of OsNF-YA7 was induced by drought stress but not by ABA.
Overexpression of OsNF-YA7 in transgenic rice plants improved drought tolerance.
RNA-seq analyses identified 48 genes involved in the OsNF-YA7-mediated drought pathway.
Consequently, OsNF-YA7 mediates rice drought tolerance in an ABA-independent manner.