Submergence Tolerant Rice Varieties, as Adaptation Measures to Flood-Prone Areas Due to Climate Change

Abstract

The food security of more than half the world population depends on the ability of the world to supply and distribute rice. Rice supply depends on global rice production while its distribution depends on the distance from production sites to consumers’ residences as well as on transportation systems and infrastructures. The different submergence tolerant rice varieties were planted to determine its characteristics, adaptability and yield performance in flood-prone conditions as adaptation measures for climate change. A study was carried out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three treatments replicated three times. Submergence-tolerant rice varieties (Rc 194, Rc 18 (sub 1) and Rc 18 224) were adaptable in flood-prone conditions as manifested by its yield. The maintenance of high carbohydrate concentration, optimum rates of alcoholic fermentation and energy conservation by maintaining low elongation growth rates during submergence were identified as playing a key role in submergence tolerance in rice.