Evaluation of Drought Tolerant Rice Cultivars Using Drought Tolerant Indices under Water Stress and Irrigated Condition

Mandeep Adhikari,Sakshi Paudel,Janmajaya Gairhe,Rishi Ram Bhandari,Nav Raj Adhikari,Subarna Sharma

doi:10.4236/ajcc.2019.82013

Mandeep Adhikari, Sakshi Paudel + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4236/ajcc.2019.82013

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Abstract

Drought is the most critical abiotic factor reducing rice yield in rainfed and drought prone areas. Majority of rice cultivated area in south Asia are under rainfed, where water stress at any of the critical growth stage causes sharp decline in yield. Research was conducted in western Nepal at farmers field around the close vicinity of Regional Agriculture Research Center (RARS) Nepalgunj. Ten different rice cultivars were evaluated under drought stress and non-stress condition during the year 2017 to identify superior stress tolerant cultivars. Different drought tolerance indices like stress tolerance (TOL), Stress tolerance index (STI), Stress susceptibility index (SSI), were tested in screening superior rice cultivars. Significant reduction in mean grain yield was observed under drought stress in all rice cultivars under the study. The rice cultivars with high STI values and low TOL and SSI were identified as superior drought tolerant cultivars. Based on results of different tolerance indices, Sukha series of rice, Sukha Dhan 1-6 and Radha-4 showed low TOL and SSI and high STI values and were identified as drought tolerant cultivars. The present study reveals that selection based on drought tolerance indices can be an efficient tool in identification of superior drought tolerant cultivars with higher yield and stability.

Highlights

Rice (Oryza Sativa) is staple food for more than half of the world’s population. [1]
The rice cultivars with high Stress tolerance index (STI) values and low TOL and susceptibility index (SSI) were identified as superior drought tolerant cultivars
The present study reveals that selection based on drought tolerance indices can be an efficient tool in identification of superior drought tolerant cultivars with higher yield and stability

Summary

Introduction

Rice (Oryza Sativa) is staple food for more than half of the world’s population. [1]. About 90% of the global rice is produced as well as consumed in Asia [2]. In Asia, around 50% of the rice cultivated area is rainfed. Rice is highly sensitive to soil moisture deficit during its critical growth stages, mostly during pre-flowering and grain filling stages. In Nepal, rainfed rice accounts for 57% of the total area under rice cultivation in the country. Most of the traditional as well as high yielding varieties cultivated in Nepal are highly susceptible to drought. The higher frequency and intensity of drought spells necessitates development of rice cultivars, which can survive under water deficit at critical growth stages and quickly recover after drought, by rapid growth upon the availability of soil moisture [8]

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