Abstract:  Rice (Oryza sativa) is a critical global staple crop, yet its productivity is significantly constrained by abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, temperature extremes, and heavy metal toxicity. While conventional breeding has contributed to improved stress tolerance, the advent of genetically modified (GM) rice offers a more precise and efficient means of enhancing resilience under adverse environmental conditions. This review synthesizes recent advancements (2020–2025) in the development of transgenic rice engineered for abiotic stress tolerance, with an emphasis on transcription factors (TFs) such as MYB (Myeloblastosis), NAC (named after no apical meristem from Petunia, ATAF1/2, Arabidopsis thaliana activating factor, and CUC2, cup-shaped cotyledon from Arabidopsis), ERF (ethylene responsive factor), and WRKY (named after conserved WRKYGQK amino acid motif in its DNA binding domain), as well as effector genes involved in osmolyte synthesis, antioxidant defense, and protein stabilization. The review also highlights the global regulatory landscape and unintended presence of GM rice in non-adopting regions, underscoring the need for tighter biosafety frameworks. Future efforts integrating gene pyramiding, CRISPR/Cas-based editing, and synthetic promoter systems are expected to accelerate the development of next-generation GM rice varieties, ensuring sustainable food security.

Key words: genetically modified rice, abiotic stress tolerance, transcription factor, effector gene, biosafety regulation