Multiple trait contribution towards phosphorus deficiency tolerance at species level in early vegetative stage of rice

Abstract

Phosphorus deficiency is more pronounced in rice at the early vegetative stages. Compensating rice cultivars with Phosphorus Use Efficiency traits would require identifying the component traits involved and the level of dependence between these traits. This study evaluated four diverse groups of rice, comprising the accessions of improved cultivars, landraces of Oryza sativa, representatives of Oryza nivara and Oryza rufipogon to understand the P uptake and its allocation between shoot and root traits. The results highlighted that traits regulated in a low P tolerant line such as root volume, total root surface area, total dry weight, SPAD value, number of root tips and leaf width. Landraces were found to have higher root volume (3.62cm), shoot dry weight (0.81g), root dry weight (0.25g) and shoot-root P ratio (2.51) as reflected in the group mean. The study also identified accession AC100219 of O. rufipogon group which had overall higher shoot P content, root volume, total root length and number of roots tips and may serve as a potential donor.