STUDY ON THE LEAF TRAITS OF AUS RICE GENOTYPES IN VARIOUS SOIL MOISTURE LEVELS

Abstract

An experiment was carried out at Sher-e-Bangia Agricultural University farm, Dhaka. Bangladesh during the period from March to July 2013. Plants were grown in the rain protected polyethylene shelter or shed in earthen pots to avoid rain under natural conditions. The experiment was conducted on the leaf traits of Aus rice varieties in various soil moisture levels. The ten rice genotypes were used as treatment i.e. BRlI. BR24. BRRI dhan42. BRR! dhan43. BRRI dhan48, BRRI dh3n55 and lines RR6976-11-1. OM1490. BR6976-2B-15 and water deficit tolerant variety Hashikalmi were treated with different duration of water deficiency such as continuously irrigated throughout the experimental period. normal irrigation up to 30 days and after that no irrigation for 7 days. then irrigated continuously and normal irrigation up to 30 days and after that no irrigation for 15 days and then irrigated continuously. Our findings suggest that BRRI dhan55 and lIashikalmi produced the highest leaf areas, comparatively higher SPAD value and low leaf rolling. Low leaf rolling score is considered as comparatively resistant to water deficit condition. It was revealed that BRR! dhan55 and Hashikalmi showed comparatively higher leaf investment under water deficit conditions among the rice genotypes.