Genotypic Variability for Intrinsic and Acquired Thermotolerance in Rice Genotypes Screened by TIR Technique

Climate change needs us to look at various alternatives for more drought tolerant and tougher strains and to develop a technique to screen a large number of genotypes for high temperature tolerance. Adapting temperature induction response (TIR) technique 100 rice genotypes were screened for thermotolerance. Significant variation for acquired thermotolerance was observed in 100 rice lines. From the 100 genotypes 30 were exhibits themotolerance to induced high temperature. Among 30 genotypes 12 (NLR33358, NLR145, NLR33671-6, NLR 40024, NLR3042, MTU 1010, NLR33636, NLR3010, NLR33359, NLR40062, NLR40064, NLR 40065) genotypes showed highest thermo tolerance in terms of 100 per cent seedlings survival and no reduction in root and shoot growth and four genotypes (NLR 34242, NLR 40066, NLR 40059, NLR40050) showed higher thermo tolerance with no reduction in root and shoot growth, and also seedling survival was reduced only by 10 per cent.