Assessment of morphological and biochemical traits for the development of new salt tolerant lines derived from biparental cross in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

More than half of the world's population is fed by rice, a significant staple crop, yet its production is extremely susceptible to stress. Saline environments impair vital physiological functions of rice which lowers production and growth. To ensure food security in areas affected by salt and climate stress, it is imperative to develop rice cultivars that can withstand salinity. This study assessed the morphological and biochemical characteristics of 25 rice lines resulting from biparental crossings in both normal and salinized environments. ANOVA (Analysis of variance), correlation, PCA (Principal Component Analysis) and biochemical profiling were among the statistical analyses that were carried out. Under normal conditions, NDRK-CS-22 produced a high grain yield of 31.08 g, but under saline conditions, NDRK-CS-19 produced a high grain yield of 19.84 g. Significant trait variability was found using PCA; in normal conditions, five principal components explained 77.81 % of the overall variance, but under saline conditions, four principal components explained 71.45 %. Under normal conditions, PC1 explained 21.56 % variance (eigenvalue 2.4), while under salinity, PC1 explained 23.46 % variance (eigenvalue 2.61). Interestingly, under stress, NDRK-CS-2 showed higher yield, proline and superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentration, indicating that it may be used in breeding for salinity tolerance. These results demonstrate how different rice lines are genetically and how they adjust to salinity. In order to maintain sustainable rice production in the face of climate change, top-performing lines (NDRK-CS-2, 19, 22, CSR10) need to be further validated in a variety of saline conditions using genomic methods to create resilient, high-yielding rice cultivars.