Effect of Water Stress on Morphological Traits and Yield in Rice Genotypes

Water stress is a major factor limiting rice production and cause a severe threat to rice production. Study of relationships of morphological traits and analysis of relationships between grain yield is a useful way to finding out genetic basis of drought tolerance. Six rice varieties Pusa Basmati1, Pusa1121, Type3 and Vallabh basmati (Basmati type) and two non-basmati rice varieties Nagina 22 and Susk Samrat were imposed on water stress. All the selected varieties were monitored to evaluate the performance of different morphological and yield-related traits under water stress condition. The experiment was laid out in a complete randomised design (CRD) in control condition with three replications. In the experiment, susceptible check Pusa Basmati1 and resistance check Nagina 22 were studied along with the rice genotypes namely; Pusa 1121, Type 3 Basmati, Vallabh Basmati 21 and Susk Samrat. Water stress tolerant variety Nagina 22 showed a minimum reduction in filled grain per panicle whereas PB1 showed a maximum reduction after water stress. The experiment was conducted in two different conditions irrigated and water stress. The result showed that all the morphological characters are decreased under water stress condition. The studied traits indicate as ideal for improvement through selection or molecular breeding and that they may provide a high response to water stress.