Agromorphological and Phenotypic Performances of 54 Rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Iron Toxic Soils in Burkina Faso, West Africa

Ferric toxicity is one of the main factors limiting rice production in the hydromorphic soils of West Africa, particularly in Burkina Faso’s Kou Valley. Several studies have been carried out at this specific site, but very few have focused on phenotypic and agromorphological performance. This study was therefore conducted to assess the morphological and agronomic variability of rice accessions (Oryza sativa L.) grown under conditions of iron toxicity, with the aim of identifying tolerant, high-yielding genotypes. To this end, fifty-four accessions, including four control varieties, were evaluated in the Kou Valley using a randomised block design with three replicates. In addition, soil samples were analysed to determine the available iron content. Physico-chemical analyses of the soil showed that the available iron content at the site varied from 123.18 mg/kg to 222.56 mg/kg depending on depth. The agronomic evaluation revealed significant genetic phenotypic variability among the accessions for all traits studied, but five (5) accessions—FKR 84 (Orylux 6), FKR 62N (NERICA L-19), AR19L013-F4-129, IR18L1135, ARS 2277-4-2-B-4, including two (02) control accessions, showed tolerance to iron toxicity. Correlation analyses revealed a significant positive association between the number of productive tillers and yield. Some accessions demonstrated high agronomic performance, suggesting their potential in variety development programs for waterlogged areas. These results confirmed the value of phenotypic selection as a sustainable strategy for enhancing rice productivity in challenging environments of West Africa.