Nature of Senescence in Six Popular Rice Varieties of Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the pattern of senescence in six popular rice varieties MTU-1001, MTU-1010, MTU-7029, BPT-2231, BPT-3291 and BPT-5204 of Andhra Pradesh. Changes in the chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzymes like Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and Ascorbate Peroxidase (APOX) activities have been investigated in top three leaves after anthesis. Leaf senescence has been expressed as the loss of chlorophyll and decline of antioxidant enzyme activities. The degradation of chlorophyll content and antioxidant enzyme activities in six varieties were high in third leaf than second and flag leaves. This study showed that six varieties belong to sequential mode of senescence that follows an age related pattern in which third leaves senesced earlier than second and flag leaves.