Genetic Diversity of Farmers’ Varieties of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) with Special Orientation to Lodging Characteristics

Abstract

Lodging status of rice is an important consideration for determination of grain yield and acceptability of the genotype among the rice farming community. In this communication, 59 local genotypes of rice were screened for lodging tolerance under three different cultivation environments. Boichi and Seshaphal were found to be highly lodging tolerant under all the three situations. Majority of the local genotypes were reported to be susceptible to lodging. The numbers of highly susceptible local genotypes towards lodging were 55, 29 and 15 at irrigated, drought created by spraying potassium iodide (KI) under irrigated condition and normal terminal drought environments, respectively. Lodging was more frequent in irrigated condition than the normal terminal drought condition or drought situation created by spraying of KI along with normal irrigation. The mean reduction in yield was more in the drought situation created by spraying of KI along with normal irrigation (20.62%) than the normal terminal drought (18.66%). The average lodging susceptibility also reduced in normal terminal drought condition (3.58) as compared to the drought situation created by spraying of KI along with normal irrigation (6.32). It has been reported that in most of the cases lodging caused remarkable yield loss.