Screening Root Traits of Rice Landraces Seedlings (Oryza sativa L.) Under Induced Drought Stress using Hydroponic System

Drought is one of the most abiotic stress factor that limit the rice production worldwide. Drought stress induces the osmotic stress to plants. This study was conducted under hydroponics system with the three rice landraces 337 – IC116006, 101 – IC464685 and 224 – IC463809 along with drought tolerant check variety Anna (R) 4 under drought stress during seedling stage. The treatments were applied at 20 days old seedlings by imposing stress with PEG 6000 (-7 bar) along with control. The root traits viz., root length, root fresh weight, root dry weight, root volume, root tissue density and lateral root numbers were measured ten days after stress. In this study, the landrace 337 – IC116006 was observed as a tolerant, 101- IC464685 was observed as a moderately tolerant whereas landrace 224- IC463809 was observed as a susceptible. The root traits are the indicators which could contribute for the vigour and growth of the rice landraces at their later stage. The positive adaptive drought tolerance of rice landraces during seedling stage can be utilized as a trait in the breeding programs development for the drought tolerant cultivar.