Agronomy Division - Bg 251 and Bg 314- Drought tolerant varieties for rainfed rice cultivation of Dry and Intermediate zones

Due to the erratic rainfall pattern, drought has become the major abiotic stress in rainfed rice cultivation in the dry and intermediate zones of Sri Lanka. Around 35% of rainfed rice farmers abundant their cultivation during the Yala season compared to the Maha, mostly due to insufficient water availability. This reduction in the cultivated extent and crop loss threatens national rice production and food security of the country. Introducing rice varieties, adaptable to water limited situations together with the water saving techniques is an essential requirement in rainfed rice cultivation to mitigate drought stress.

Screening of rice lines for moisture stressed conditions was started since 2008. Drought tolerant rice lines received from the International Rice Drought Tolerant Nursery -2007 (IRDTN)  through the program of INGER and “Green Super Rice” project were screened with local recommended varieties under both moisture stressed and irrigated conditions to identify the lines which could perform well under each condition. Promising lines were multiplied and purified from 2010 onwards.

Screening of rice lines