Screening local Balinese rice varieties that are resistant to drought by morpho-physiology and gene expression analysis.

Drought is a condition of lack of water so that plants cannot grow well and complete their life cycle. Efforts to find rice varieties that can use water more efficiently in drought conditions need to be done. In Bali there are several local rice varieties which need to be tested for their resistance to drought for plant breeding purposes. In addition, by obtaining local Balinese rice with drought-resistant properties, it will be beneficial in the conservation of local Balinese germplasm and increase farmers' interest in growing local Balinese rice, especially on marginal land. The osmotic regulation method was carried out using high molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG) (PEG 6000). Tests were carried out on Red Cendana, Mansur A, and Putih Cempaka cultivars aged 2 MSS (weeks after seedling) with a hydroponic system. The treatment was carried out by mixing PEG in a nutrient solution ¼ MS. The concentrations used are 20% PEG and 30% PEG. The treatment was given for 3 days. Observations were made on the growth and physiological characters (chlorophyll content) and DERB sequence characterization was done by sequencing.