Abstract

Drought is one of the major abiotic stress responsible for yield reduction of crops worldwide. Kinetin (KIN) and glycine betain (GB) have an essential role in regulating cell division during the early phase of grain setting; assimilate flow and osmotic adjustment under drought stress. Effects of exogenously applied kinetin and glycine betain on some metabolic and yield attributes of two rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars viz., Basmati-385 and KS-282 were evaluated under water stress. KIN and GB were applied by spraying the plants at flowering stage before drought stress treatment. Both treatments significantly increased proline concentration in leaves and panicles of both the rice cultivars as compared to their control. They also increased soluble sugar in the leaves and panicles under water stress. Starch concentration in leaves and panicles of both the rice cultivars were increased significantly (p

Key words: Kinetin, Drought, Glycine betain, Proline, Starch, Sugar, Rice, Yield