RAJA RAJESWARI, VKAVITHA, K2016-11-102016-11-102014http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/84919A field experiment entitled “Evaluation of rice genotypes for growth, drought tolerance and yield under aerobic method of cultivation” was conducted during kharif, 2013 at wet land farm, on sandy clay loam soils of Tirupati campus (Southern Agro-climatic Zone of Andhra Pradesh) Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University. The study was laid out in randomized block design, replicated thrice with thirteen rice genotypes viz., MAS-946-1, MAS-26, MTU-1001, MTU-1006, NLR-3010, NLR-3168, NLR-3183, NLR-3217, NLR-33671, NLR-34242, NLR-34449, NLR-40024 and NLR-40059 to identify rice genotypes for drought tolerance with higher growth and physiological efficiency under aerobic method of cultivation. The morphological characters viz., plant height, dry matter production, leaf area and the growth rates viz., crop growth rate (CGR), net assimilation rate (NAR), leaf area index (LAI), leaf area duration (LAD) were recorded. Among the genotypes NLR 40059 found significantly superior over all other genotypes and followed by MTU 1001 and NLR 3183. CGR had significant and positive correlation with NAR. Similarly LAD had positive correlation with yield. The drought tolerance traits viz., specific leaf area (SLA), SPAD chlorophyll meter readings (SCMR), per cent relative membrane injury were found to be significantly high in NLR 40059 under aerobic condition. SLA recorded negative correlation with SCMR. Root parameters viz., root length , root spread, root dry weight were high in the variety NLR 40059 .Yield and yield components viz., number of productive tillers, panicle length, spikelet fertility, test weight, grain yield were found to be higher in NLR 40059 followed by MTU 1001. Maximum starch content and intermediate amylose content were found in NLR 40059. The genotypes NLR 40059 and MTU 1001 performed well under aerobic condition by expressing its supremacy with reference to growth parameters, root traits, drought tolerance traits, yield components and grain quality. The identified genotypes viz., NLR 40059 and MTU 1001 can be either recommended for aerobic cultivation based on their geographical adaptability or used as donor source in breeding programmes for developing specific varieties suitable for aerobic cultivation. NLR 3183 genotype expressed superior growth attributes drought tolerance except grain quality, so it can be used as donor source in breeding programmes to introgress drought tolerance.en-USrice, yields, genotypes, developmental stages, grain, irrigation, planting, vegetative propagation, biological phenomena, crops, EVALUATION, RICE, GENO TYPES, GROWTH, DROUGHT, TOLERANCE, YIELD, AEROBIC, METHOD, CULTIVATIONThesis