Enhancing Rice Yield in Cold-Stressed Environments: Evaluation of NIGAB Lines in Temperate Regions of Pakistan

Cold stress poses a significant threat to rice production, causing substantial yield reductions in temperate regions of Pakistan. This study aimed to address the significant threat posed by cold stress to rice production in temperate regions. Thirty NIGAB lines and five check varieties were evaluated under cold stress conditions in Matta, Upper Swat, KPK and Field at National Agricultural Research (NARC) as normal condition. The research utilized a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Morphological were conducted to screen for the best-performing lines, while the Cold Tolerance Index (CTI) was calculated to assess tolerance. Results showed that, on average, the NIGAB lines exhibited a significant increase (220%) in yield compared to the check varieties in both environments. This is a very evolutionary finding of rice for temperate regions. Specifically, NIGAB-59, NIGAB-26, NIGAB-77, NIGAB-29, and NIGAB-47, emerged as top performers based on yield, while NIGAB-107, NIGAB-69, NIGAB-48, NIGAB-86, and NIGAB-113 were top performers based on CTI. NIGAB-56 ranked in the top 10 for both yield and CTI, suggesting its potential for further breeding schemes or general cultivation in the region. These findings highlighted the potential of breeding for cold tolerance in rice to enhance overall yield in temperate regions of Pakistan. The high-yielding NIGAB lines identified in this study offer promising candidates for further development and deployment in cold-stressed environments, contributing to sustainable rice production improvement in the region.