Growth and Physiological Performance of Aerobic and Lowland Rice as Affected by Water Stress at Selected Growth Stages

doi:10.1016/j.rsci.2018.02.001

Abstract

Abstract:

Aerobic rice technology is still new in Malaysia, and information regarding MARDI Aerob 1 (MA1), the first local aerobic rice variety, is still lacking. Therefore, comparative studies were carried out to determine the physiological performance of aerobic rice variety MA1 and lowland rice variety MR253 under water stress given at the panicle initiation, flowering and ripening stages. This experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design. Stomatal conductance (g_s), chlorophyll a fluorescence (F_v/F_m), leaf relative water content (leaf RWC), and soil moisture content (SMC) as well as yield component parameters such as panicle number, grain yield and 100-grain weight were measured. Results revealed that g_sand leaf RWC for both varieties decreased with depletion of SMC. The correlation study between the physiological parameters and SMC indicated that F_v/F_m was not affected by water stress, regardless of varieties. The yield components (panicle number, grain yield and 100-grain weight) for both varieties greatly decreased when water stress was imposed at the panicle initiation stage. This study showed that the panicle initiation period was the most sensitive stage to water stress that contributed to a substantial reduction in yield for both varieties. Under the aerobic condition (control), MR253 produced higher panicle number, 100-grain weight and yield than MA1. Although MR253 is bred for lowland, it is well adapted to aerobic condition.

Key words: water stress, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll a fluorescence, leaf relative water content, yield component, aerobic rice

Kamarul Zaman Nadzariah, Yusoff Abdullah Mohd, Othman Sariam, Kamarul Zaman Nadzirah. Growth and Physiological Performance of Aerobic and Lowland Rice as Affected by Water Stress at Selected Growth Stages[J]. Rice Science, 2018, 25(2): 82-93.

Figures/Tables 8

Table 1 Climatic factors during experimental period.

Month	Temperature (ºC)		Rainfall	Relative humidity (%)
Month	Minimum	Maximum	(mm)	Relative humidity (%)
Aug-15	24.7	31.8	410.2	82.8
Sep-15	24.6	31.8	113	83.9
Oct-15	24.4	32.6	244	82.7
Nov-15	24.6	32.4	217	85.9
Dec-15	24.5	32.4	275.6	83.5
Jan-16	25.2	33.3	122.4	81

Table 2 Water stress imposition period based on crop age and water stress period at various growth stages.

Treatment	Growth stage	Variety	Imposition of water stress ^a (d)	Stress
Treatment	Growth stage	Variety	Imposition of water stress ^a (d)	period (d)
T2	Panicle initiation	MA1	44-53	10
T2	Panicle initiation	MR253	56-71	16
T3	Flowering	MA1	56-71	16
	Flowering	MR253	77-92	16
T4	Early ripening	MA1	77-88	12
	Early ripening	MR253	95-105	11

Fig. 1. Changes in diurnal stomatal conductance (gs) during water stress period of MA1 as affected by water stress at selected growth stages.A, Morning gs under treatment 2 (T2, water stress at the panicle initiation stage); B, Morning gs under treatment 3 (T3, water stress at the flowering stage); C, Morning gs under treatment 4 (T4, water stress at the ripening stage); D, Midday gs under T2; E, Midday gs under T3; F, Midday gs under T4; G, Evening gs under T2; H, Evening gs under T3; I, Evening gs under T4. * represents significant difference between treatments at P ≤ 0.05. Bars are standard errors (n = 12).

Fig. 2. Changes in diurnal stomatal conductance (gs) during water stress period of MR253 as affected by water stress at selected growth stages.A, Morning gs under treatment 2 (T2, water stress at the panicle initiation stage); B, Morning gs under treatment 3 (T3, water stress at the flowering stage); C, Morning gs under treatment 4 (T4, water stress at the ripening stage); D, Midday gs under T2; E, Midday gs under T3; F, Midday gs under T4; G, Evening gs under T2; H, Evening gs under T3; I, Evening gs under T4. * represents significant difference between treatments at P ≤ 0.05 (n = 12).

Fig. 3. Changes in chlorophyll a fluorescence (Fv/Fm) during water stress period of the two varieties as affected by water stress at selected growth stages.* represents significant difference between treatments at P ≤ 0.05 (n = 12).A, MA1 at the panicle initiation stage; B, MR253 at the panicle initiation stage; C, MA1 at the flowering stage; D, MR253 at the flowering stage; E, MA1 at the ripening stage; F, MR253 at the ripening stage.

Table 3 Soil moisture content (SMC) and leaf relative water content (leaf RWC) during water stress period at selected growth stages.

Variety	Stage	Treatment	SMC (%)			Leaf RWC (%)
Variety	Stage	Treatment	Base	Middle	End	Base	Middle	End
MA1	Panicle initiation	Control	22.92 ± 2.82 ns	15.57 ± 1.32 ns	12.60 ± 0.40 a	80.81 ± 2.36 b	95.47 ± 0.76 a	92.09 ± 1.39 a
	Panicle initiation	Water stress	22.13 ± 2.53 ns	15.50 ± 1.19 ns	6.57 ± 0.35 b	92.49 ± 1.09 a	83.92 ± 0.94 b	58.21 ± 1.34 b
	Flowering	Control	12.60 ± 0.40 ns	19.69 ± 1.39 a	24.78 ± 0.44 a	90.01 ± 2.43 ns	87.64 ± 1.91 ns	87.55 ± 1.40 a
	Flowering	Water stress	13.89 ± 0.87 ns	10.49 ± 0.70 b	3.67 ± 0.34 b	93.61 ± 1.16 ns	83.69 ± 1.04 ns	56.85 ± 0.91 b
	Ripening	Control	24.78 ± 0.44 ns	27.00 ± 0.43 a	24.01 ± 1.06 a	87.55 ± 1.40 ns	86.32 ± 1.49 a	84.46 ± 1.29 a
	Ripening	Water stress	24.06 ± 0.55 ns	9.63 ± 0.23 b	7.30 ± 0.29 b	90.64 ± 1.19 ns	81.11 ± 1.30 b	53.16 ± 0.93 b
MR253	Panicle initiation	Control	14.91 ± 0.72 b	21.67 ± 1.49 a	22.24 ± 2.30 a	91.02 ± 1.22 ns	89.42 ± 1.34 a	91.93 ± 1.07 a
	Panicle initiation	Water stress	21.17 ± 1.71 a	15.16 ± 1.37 b	3.53 ± 0.28 b	92.10 ± 0.98 ns	79.08 ± 1.54 b	56.41 ± 1.10 b
	Flowering	Control	22.24 ± 2.30 ns	18.42 ± 0.65 a	22.06 ± 0.40 a	91.93 ± 1.07 ns	88.46 ± 0.96 a	87.91 ± 0.81 a
	Flowering	Water stress	23.18 ± 2.07 ns	9.03 ± 0.18 b	7.76 ± 0.26 b	89.65 ± 0.58 ns	78.07 ± 1.44 b	53.25 ± 0.61 b
	Ripening	Control	12.66 ± 0.49 ns	14.52 ± 0.56 a	13.59 ± 0.79 a	75.34 ± 2.22 ns	83.31 ± 2.28 a	78.44 ± 1.11 a
	Ripening	Water stress	12.51 ± 0.17 ns	8.37 ± 0.47 b	6.59 ± 0.26 b	76.20 ± 1.20 ns	63.49 ± 1.39 b	51.37 ± 2.59 b

Table 4 Correlation coefficients of various physiological parameters during water stress period.

Parameter	g_s			F_v/F_m			Leaf RWC			SMC
Parameter	Morning	Midday	Pooled data	Morning	Midday	Pooled data	Morning	Midday	Pooled data	Morning	Midday	Pooled data
g_s	-	-	-	0.51**	0	-0.12	0.39*	0.57**	0.45**	0.23	0.45*	0.33*
F_v/F_m	-0.22	-0.18	-0.25	-	-	-	0.35	0.04	0.09	0.19	0.03	0.05
Leaf RWC	0.47*	0.57**	0.51***	0.27	0.51**	0.36**	-	-	-	0.74***	0.74***	0.74***
SMC	0.69***	0.58**	0.60***	-0.38	-0.25	-0.26	0.33	0.33	0.33*	-	-	-

Fig. 4. Panicle number, 100-grain weight and grain yield of the two varieties as affected by water stress (n = 6).T2, Water stress at the panicle initiation stage; T3, Water stress at the flowering stage; T4, Water stress at the ripening stage.Different letters mean significant difference between treatments at the 0.05 level.

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