A large number of short-culm mutants were isolated in a local variety of rice (Tellakattera), after treatment with 0.2%, 0.3% and 0.4% of ethyl methane sulphonate. Based on height these were classified into semidwarf and dwarf mutants. Wide variations in plant morphology, days to maturity, panicle and seed characters were observed. The reduction in plant stature of semidwarf and dwarf mutants is mainly due to decrease in the lengths of specific internodes. In semidwarf mutants the internode-2 (I2 showed least reduction whereas internode-4 (I4) and internode-5 (I5) showed maximum reduction. In dwarfs, internode-1 (I1) showed least reduction and internode-4 (I4) showed maximum reduction.
