Physiological Response of Rice Varieties as Influenced by Soil Moisture and Seed Hardening

Six rice varieties were subjected to pre-sowing seed hardening methods and raised under 50 and 100 per cent available water. Pre-sowing seed hardening with water, NaH₂PO₄, triazole, KCl and cowdung improved the physiological characters like chlorophyll, RWC and proline whereas stontatal index and frequency were reduced by the treatments. Increasing soil moisture improved chlorophyll and RWC contents. Stressed plants had the highest accumulation of free proline and increased stomatal index and frequencies.