| Penulis/Author |
YUSTINA C. FEBRIANTI SALSINHA (1); Dr. Dra. Maryani, M.Sc. (2); Prof. Dr. Ir. Didik Indradewa, Dip.Agr.St. (3); Prof. Dr. Yekti Asih Purwestri, S.Si., M.Si. (4); Prof. Dr. Diah Rachmawati, S.Si., M.Si. (5) |
| Abstrak/Abstract |
The ability of rice plants to cope with drought is supported by several parameters, including the structure of the root organ for water absorption. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of the root tissues that play a role in supporting local rice plants during drought. This study was conducted by comparing 18 East Nusa Tenggara (Nusa Tenggara Timur [NTT]) local rice cultivars with two comparative drought-tolerant and drought-susceptible cultivars under drought stress treatment using the fraction of transpirable soil water method with levels 1 (control) and 0.2 (severe stress). Morphological measurement of plant growth and root phenotype, including root length and root dry weight, as well as plant height, number of leaves, and number of tillers, was conducted in the vegetative phase (46 days after planting). The collected root samples were prepared for anatomical slides using the paraffin embedding method and observed microscopically. Results showed the tendency of drought-tolerant plants to exhibit low reduction of the growth characteristics. The root anatomical structure of drought tolerant rice characterized by smaller root diameter, root area, cortical radius, vascular cylinder diameter, smaller cross-sectional of the vascular cylinder, and smaller metaxylem diameter with the higher number of metaxylem cells and thicker epidermis and sclerenchyma cell layers that considerably contribute to drought tolerance. On the basis of these anatomical characteristics, the Pak Mutin, Boawae 100 Malam, and Kisol cultivars were determined to be drought-tolerant NTT local rice cultivars. |
