Generation of low-arsenic and low-cadmium rice

A method of creating a genetically modified rice plant, that has reduced arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in its rice grain compared to a rice grain from a control rice plant, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) generating a genetically modified rice plant comprising a heterologous P1B-type heavy metal ATPase gene operably linked to an OsActin/promoter;
• b) generating a genetically modified rice plant comprising a heterologous ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter gene operably linked to an OsActin/promoter;
• c) generating a genetically modified rice plant comprising a heterologous phytochelatin synthase gene operably linked to an OsActin1 promoter;
• d) select genetically modified rice plants which, respectively, overexpress said exogenous P1B-type heavy metal ATPase gene, said exogenous ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter gene and said exogenous phytochelatin synthase gene;
• e) crossing two of the three genetically modified rice plants to generate double homozygote plants with respect to the exogenous genes;
• and
• f) crossing a double homozygote plant from step (e) with a third genetically modified rice plant to generate triple homozygote plants that overexpress the exogenous genes.