2.2. Enhancing tolerance to abiotic stresses
Drought is one of the most severe abiotic stresses limiting rice productivity in the world, and poses a serious threat to the
sustainability of rice yields in rainfed agriculture. Development of drought resistant rice is one of the objectives in the water-saving agriculture programs (Dat, 1986). Acquisition of more water from soil is a mechanism for drought tolerance in rice. Improving the understanding of the interaction between root function and drought in rice could have a significant impact on global food security (Gowda et al., 2011). Therefore, improving root system