Adaptation to climate change by using drought tolerant and early maturing rice varieties in Majalengka Regency

Abstract

One of the efforts to anticipate the impact of climate change on rice is the introduction of new high yielding and early maturing varieties tolerant drought. The aim of this study was to examine the growth performance and potential production of several early maturing and drought tolerant rice varieties in lowland on dry season. The assessment was conducted in Majalengka regency from June to September 2019. Five varieties used were Inpari 39, Cakrabuana, Inpago 11, Rindang 1, and Luhur 1 with through application of Controlled Aerobic Rice based on Organic matter Technology (CARO). Variables observed including plant height and number of productive tillers, number of grains per panicle, percent of empty grains, and also weight of 1,000 grains. The observations results showed that five tested rice varieties showed good adaptation responses to drought stress with average productivity of around 6 to 7 t ha−1. Cakrabuana was potentially to be developed in dry season under drought stress due to its high yield potential and early maturing (85 days after planting). The early maturing and high yielding varieties in the dry season in lowland can be used as an alternative technology to increase the cropping index (CI) and rice production.