Flooding of croplands is a frequent natural disaster in many
regions of the world. Out of 40 million ha in Asia grown under
rainfed lowlands, about 15 million ha are frequently damaged by
submergence (Sarkar et al., 2009). Flash floods or submergence
is a common phenomenon in mainly lowland areas, subject to
heavy monsoon rains, seriously affecting crop establishment as
well as survival, leading to severe yield losses. In areas where
rainfed lowland rice is subjected to flash-floods, elongation
growth results in lodging and death of plants after the water
recedes (Setter and Laureles, 1996; Gautam et al., 2014a).
Submergence imposes a complex abiotic stress in flood-prone
ecosystem, because it substantially reduces crop stand,