Aerobic rice cultivation progresses water productivity, and it can save almost 50% of irrigation water compared to lowland rice with the appropriate development of genotypes and management practices. Two field trials were conducted during 2020, and 2021 seasons to determine the validation of different rice varieties under aerobic cultivation based on their plant defense system, physio-morphological traits, stress indices, grain yield, and water productivity. The experiments were designed in a split-plot design with four replications. Two planting methods, transplanting and aerobic cultivation, were denoted as the main plots, and ten rice genotypes were distributed in the subplots. The results revealed that the planting method varied significantly in all measured parameters. The transplanting method with well watering had the highest value of all measured parameters except leaf rolling, membrane stability index, antioxidant, proline, and the number of unfilled grains. EHR1, Giza179 and GZ9399 as well as A22 genotypes a chief more antioxidant defense system that operated under aerobic conditions. Giza179, EHR1, GZ9399, and Giza178 showed high cell membrane stability and subsequently high validation under such conditions, and also showed efficiency in decreasing water consumption and improving water use efficiency. In conclusion, this study proves that Giza179, EHR1, GZ9399, Giza178, and A22 are valid genotypes for aerobic conditions.
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