Author(s):

Kavitha Mary J, P Marimuthu, K Kumutha and U Sivakumar

Abstract: Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is most susceptible to water deficit (Lafitte and Bennet, 2003).Water requirement of paddy is approximately 1200 mm in flooded, puddled condition. In total, world rice production uses about 1,578 km³ of water, which is 30% of the fresh water used worldwide (Trijatmiko, 2005). Due to changing climate, failure or delayed onset of monsoon etc., water scarcity is ever increasing worldwide and threatens the sustainability of rice ecosystem. Various adaptation and mitigation strategies were followed worldwide to resolve this abiotic stress. Microbial mitigation using PPFM, AMF and PGPR is one among the method used to alleviate drought. The present investigation was aimed to increase the drought sustaining capacity of rice through priming with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF). Here the drought was induced by PEG 6000 and the effect of AMF on increased drought resistance was assessed in vitro. PEG 6000 was given at different concentration viz., 0%, 5%,10%,15%,20%, 25%, 30% and 35% and AMF was given as seed treatment. AMF treated plants withstand up to 35% PEG concentration for longer duration compared to control and sporulation of AMF also observed up to 30% PEG concentration. The study will be further up scaled to field level to assess the real-time impact of AMF against drought.

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