Determination of low‐temperature stress during the vegetative stage as a tool to predict plant yield in rice genotypes with contrasting tolerance levels

MICHELINI, MARÍA CAROLINA; GAZQUEZ, AYELÉN; CHECOVICH, MARIANA LEONELA; TAMAYO, ANDY SALAZAR; MAIALE, SANTIAGO JAVIER; MENÉNDEZ, ANA BERNARDINA; RODRÍGUEZ, ANDRÉS ALBERTO

JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY AND CROP SCIENCE

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2024 vol. 201

0931-2250

In this study, the first aim was to develop a rapid and non-destructive method for analysing rice genotypes´ tolerance to low temperatures (LT) during the seedling stage.Using a growth parameter and a physiological parameter, a discriminant formula wasdeveloped to differentiate between tolerant and sensitive genotypes based on theirLT tolerance score. The study identified several benefits of the discriminant formula,including its low classification error rate, scalability, and ability to be used in controlledand reduced environments. Additionally, a second study was conducted, which founda strong correlation between the LT tolerance score during the seedling stage andplant yield at the ripening stage in plants grown under field LT during the vegetativestage. Panicle weight was the main mediator of the effect of the LT tolerance scoreon plant yield, but the number of panicles per plant also played a role. Overall, theresults suggest that the LT tolerance score can serve as an indirect selection factor forplants for both LT tolerance and plant yield. This is especially relevant for rice-growingregions with temperate climates and LT at the beginning of the cultivation season.