PJB-2024-620
WATER STRESS TOLERANCE IN RICE FOR YIELD AND RELATED TRAITS
Muneeb Ahmad Khan
Abstract
Water stress is one of the major abiotic factors affecting rice production. Development of water-stress tolerant rice genotypes is crucial to ensure food security. This research was conducted at The University of Agriculture, Peshawar during rice crop growing season 2023. Thirty-six rice genotypes, including six parents and their F5 populations were evaluated using a randomized complete block design with three replications under both irrigated and water-stress conditions. Significant differences among the environments, genotypes and genotypes × environment were observed for the studied maturity and yield traits. Under water-stress conditions, cross combinations, DR-82 × JP-5 displayed earliest heading (104.0 days) and maximum 100-grain weight (2.9 g). Cross combinations JP-5 × DR-82 and JP-5 × PK-386 showed highest number of primary (11.6) and secondary branches panicle-1 (35.7), respectively, while cross combination Swat-2 × KS-282 displayed maximum grains panicle-1 (104.3). Cross combination Basmati-385 × Swat-2 and DR-82 × Basmati-385 produced highest biological yield (75.9 g) and grain yield (26.7 g), respectively. Cross combination JP-5 × PK-386 showed highest heritability (0.98) and genetic advance (67.9%) for grain yield under water-stress conditions. cross combination DR-82 × Basmati-385 showed desirable minimum stress susceptibility index (0.43), while maximum yield index (1.42), yield stability index (0.89) and maximum drought resistance index (1.26). Similarly, cross combination JP-5 × Swat-2 showed maximum stress tolerance index (1.30), mean productivity index (29.55), geometric mean productivity (29.01) and harmonic mean (28.48). F5 populations DR-82 × Basmati-385 and JP-5 × Swat-2 were, thus, observed as relatively more water-stress tolerant genotypes.
Keywords: Water-stress tolerance, rice F5 populations, stress tolerance indices, yield traits
Key findings: Significant (P < 0.05) differences among the environments (irrigated and water-stress conditions), rice genotypes and genotype × environment interaction were observed for the studied maturity and yield traits. On the basis of superior performance for yield traits and stress tolerance indices, F5 populations Swat-2 × KS-282, DR-82 × Basmati-385 and JP-5 × DR-82 were recommended for advancement to derive high yielding rice cultivars under water-stress conditions. Similarly, F5 populations PK-386 × DR-82, JP-5 × Swat-2 and Swat-2 × JP-5 excelled in performance for yield traits under irrigated conditions and could be used to derive high yielding rice cultivars in the upcoming generations.