Determination of the Water Potential Threshold at Which Rice Growth Is Impacted

Abstract

Rice feeds 50% of the world’s population. Flooding is the most common irrigation system used for growing rice, a practice responsible for a large amount of water loss. Climate changes may affect water availability in irrigated agriculture, and it will be necessary to develop more sustainable irrigation practices. The aim of this work was to determine, in controlled conditions, the threshold when water potential begins to decrease plant growth. Two independent greenhouse experiments were conducted during middle summer and fall, in order to validate the results for high and low evapotranspiration conditions. Rice plants were grown in hydroponics and the water potential was adjusted with polyethylene glycol 6000, varying from −0.04 MPa (control) to −0.19 MPa. Leaf water potential, water use efficiency, leaf area, and root and shoot biomass were evaluated. All assayed parameters decreased as the water potential was decreased. The water potential threshold which starts to negatively affect rice growth was between −0.046 and −0.056 MPa, which are values close to those observed in the field in previous research. The definition of a critical value may help to improve water management in rice cultivation and to maintain productivity.

Phenological, Physiological and yield markers as efficient tools to identify drought tolerant rice genotypes in Eastern India

“…MPa. According to previous studies, LWP below -1.7 MPa affect plant growth (Santos et al 2018) which is supporting our results of decrease in plant height by 11.87% during stress period. Soil moisture tension during the stress was -47.83 kPa and -54.55 kPa in 2017 and 2018.…”

Methodology of Drought Stress Research: Experimental Setup and Physiological Characterization

“…In the easiest but most reliable way, Ψ w can be addressed by the gravimetric method [20]. It can also be accomplished with a Scholander pressure chamber and thermocouple psychrometer [21] or tensiometer [22]. Thermocouple psychrometry is one of the most popular methods, and is usually accomplished with press saps or freeze-thawed leaf disks [23].…”

Assessment of Gus Expression Induced by Anti-Sense OsPPO Gene Promoter and Antioxidant Enzymatic Assays in Response to Drought and Heavy Metal Stress in Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana

“…have a significant impact on crop production [1]. Drought, heat, and heavy metal stresses have become the major limiting factors to agricultural growth and, eventually, food security threats due to climatic change [4]. As one of the most important abiotic stresses, drought limits plant growth, development, and productivity.…”