Effect of PEG stress on growth and associated physiological and biochemical changes in selected and non selected upland rice

Calli of two rice genotypes, viz. Rasi amd Valya were selected under PEG stress. Both varieties exhibited significant differences in growth, turgor potential, solute accumulation and lipid peroxidation parameters. There was better growth, increased better turgor potential values, greater accumulation of reducing sugars, amino acids, proline and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the selected tissues of the varieties. However, between the two genotypes, tissues of Rasi exhibited higher values in terms of growth, water potential, solute accumulation and SOD than cv Valya which exhibited lowest values. In this study, it was concluded that the recurrent selection has improved the PEG tolerance in Rasi than Valya yet normal growth was not restored as that of control genotypes.