Genetic variability for water deficiency tolerance in upland and lowland rice germplasm and prospects of its transfer to basmati rice varieties (abstract)

Rice germplasm consisting of five local basmati (fine grain aromatic) rice cultivars. IR-6, CP-1 (Chinese variety), 19 lines/landraces from WARDA, and 7 varieties/lines from CUBA were tested for tolerance to water deficiency. Material was directly sown in the field blocks maintained at normal flooded conditions (Control) and at 75%, 50% and 25% less water. Fertilizer was applied at the normal recommended doze. Data are collected with reference to plant height, number of leaves and productive tillers, and grain yield. Presence (or otherwise) of any stress protein in selected water deficiency tolerant lines was also studied. Significant variations were observed for all the parameters and in all the material. In 19 (57.6%) entries comprising IR-6, CP-I, material from WARDA and Cuba, number of tillers and leaves were the highest at 50% water compared to the control. In 10 (30.3%) and 8 (24%) entries, plant height increased by 31.7% and 61.3 %, respectively at 25% and 50% water. Only 5 out of 33 entries performed the best with respect to all the three parameters at 25% water. Grain yield in most of the entries (17 out of 33) also increased under 50% water with 9 entries (27.4) simply out yielded the rest under 25% reduced water. Promising among them were WAB 56-104, WAB-56-50 and OS-6. Appearance of some LMW protein fractions of about 40 and 20 kDa was also noticed in these genotypes for the first time. Crossing these genotypes with Basmati varieties, that showed reduction in all the 4 parameters under water deficient conditions, resulted in production of fertile hybrids. Selections in F2 population were made from the plants growing under 50% less water and for plants like of Basmati with early maturity and reduced height. One of the selections also exhibited LMW fractions of 20 kDa stress protein. The association of this fraction with water deficiency tolerance would be tested in M3 generation. We believe that if during this process we are able to reduce 50 % of water being used for rice cultivation, it would be a significant saving which can be used for other purposes. (author)