The present studies were carried out to characterize seventy-one aromatic rice germplasm from IGKV, Raipur. These germplasm were characterized and grouped on the basis of anthocyanin pigmentation, plant habit, and awning character. On the basis of pigmentation distribution in 10 plant parts, a total of twelve groups were formed with group one having no pigmentation and group twelve with pigmentation in 9 plant parts. On the basis of plant habit and awning character, three groups of each were formed. The genetic parameters for the ten agronomic traits indicated that the selection of genotypes may be done for fertile spikelets per panicle, spikelet density, spikelet sterility percentage, and hundred seed weight. Thus, on the basis of above characters, the genotypes Tulsi Mala, Baanspati, Ganga Balu, Samund Chini, Tulsi Amrit, Dudh Dhan, Kari Gilas, Shankar Jeera, and Jata Shankar may be selected for future study. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjar.v37i1.11168 Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 37(1): 1-8, March 2012

Aims Drought is the major constraint to rainfed rice productivity in South Asia, but few reports provide detailed characterization of the soil properties related to drought stress severity in the region. The aim of the study was to provide a compilation of drought breeding network sites and their respective levels of drought stress, and to relate soil parameters with yield reduction by drought. Methods This study characterized levels of drought stress and soil nutrient and physical properties at 18 geographically distributed research station sites Plant Soil (2017) 417:377-392 DOI 10.1007 Responsible Editor: Martin Weih. involved in rice varietal screening in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, as well as at farmers' fields located near the research stations. Results Based on soil resistance to penetration profiles, a hardpan was surprisingly absent at about half of the sites characterized. Significant relationships of depth of compaction and yield reduction by drought indicated the effects of soil puddling on susceptibility to cracking, rather than water retention by hardpans, on plant water availability in this region. The main difference between research stations and nearby farmers' fields was in terms of soil compaction.Conclusions These results present an initiative for understanding the range of severities of reproductive-stage drought stress in drought-prone rainfed lowland ricegrowing areas in South Asia.

No abstract

Plants are exposed to any number of potentially adverse environmental conditions such as water deficit, high salinity, extreme temperature, submergence, etc. These abiotic stresses adversely affect the plant growth and productivity. Seed priming is an easy, low cost and low risk method for improving growth and development of plants especially under adverse environmental conditions. Seed priming has been developed as an indispensable method to produce tolerant plants against various stresses in rice. The beneficial effects of seed priming include faster emergence, better stands, and lower incidence of resowing, more vigorous plants, better drought tolerance, earlier flowering, earlier harvest and higher grain yield. These beneficial effects of seed priming are due to several reasons such as activation of enzymes associated with endosperm utilization and seed germination, mobilization of storage proteins, changes in hormonal balance and synthesis of proteins that play an important role during seed germination. Seed priming emerges as a promising technology for combating abiotic stress in crops and alleviating the detrimental effects of abiotic stress without much affecting its fitness. Seed priming methods are widely used as an emerging technology to produce tolerant crop varieties against abiotic stresses.

No abstract