An Effective Defensive Response in Thai Aromatic Rice Varieties(Oryza sativa L. spp. indica) to Salinity

Rice is one of the world's staple crops and is a major source of carbohydrate. Rice is exported from several countries, providing a major source of income. There are many documents reporting that rice is a salt-sensitive crop in its developmental stages. The objective of this investigation is to evaluate the effective salt-tolerance defense mechanisms in aromatic rice varieties. Pathumthani 1(PT1), Jasmine(KDML105), and Homjan(HJ) aromatic rice varieties were chosen as plant materials. Rice seedlings photoautotrophically grown in-vitro were treated with 0, 85, 171, 256, 342, and 427 mM NaCl in the media. Data, including sodium ion$(Na^+)$ and potassium ion$(K^+)$ accumulation, osmolarity, chlorophyll pigment concentration, and the fresh and dry weights of seedlings were collected after salt-treatment for 5 days. $Na^+$ in salt-stressed seedlings gradually accumulated, while $K^+$ decreased, especially in the 342-427 mM NaCl salt treatments. The $Na^+$ accumulation in both salt-stressed root and leaf tissues was positively related to osmolarity, leading to chlorophyll degradation. In the case of the different rice varieties, the results showed that the HJ variety was identified as being salt-tolerant, maintaining root and shoot osmolarities as well as pigment stabilization when exposed to salt stress or $Na^+$ enrichment in the cells. On the other hand, PT1 and KDML105 varieties were classified as salt-sensitive, determined by chlorophyll degradation using Hierarchical cluster analysis. In conclusion, the HJ-salt tolerant variety should be further utilized as a parental line or genetic resource in breeding programs because of the osmoregulation defensive response to salt-stress.