Rice is an important food crop, while it is severely affected by drought stress. Viewing this point in mind we conducted an experiment to see the physiological responses and yield potential of selected rice genotypes under inadequate moisture condition. Two soil moisture condition: one is sufficient moisture condition (control; 95–100% field capacity (FC)) and another is deficit moisture condition (moisture stress; 40–45% FC) with five replications was maintained. Six drought tolerant one susceptible genotype and one standard check variety were used. Results revealed that tolerant genotypes BU Acc 37 and BU Acc 32 showed the highest RWC, WRC, rate of photosynthesis, conductance of stomata, transpiration rate, total chlorophyll content, proline and soluble sugar content, while susceptible genotype BU Acc 5 showed the lowest value of those parameters during water stress condition. In contrast, the lowest WSD, WUC, accumulation of H₂O₂ and malondialdehyde were noticed in tolerant genotypes BU Acc 37 and BU Acc 32, whereas those were the highest in susceptible genotype BU Acc 5 under deficit moisture condition. Tolerant genotype BU Acc 37 and BU Acc 32 also showed the higher antioxidant enzyme activity than the susceptible genotype BU Acc 5. Regardless of genotypes, yield contributing characteristics and yield were severely affected by deficit water stress. However, tolerant genotype BU Acc 37 showed the highest grain yield per hill, while susceptible genotype BU Acc 5 showed the lowest grain yield per hill. Hence, better accumulation ability of osmoprotectants, and the higher activity of antioxidant enzymes in the tolerant genotypes reduce the oxidative stress, enhance water relation and gas exchange attributes, and protect the yield reduction of rice.

Plant cell and tissue culture techniques are fundamental to contemporary plant science, providing essential tools for genetic manipulation and crop improvement. This review examines the primary applications of these techniques, emphasizing their role in advancing fundamental plant biology and developing novel agricultural strategies. Micropropagation is a technique that enables the rapid and efficient asexual propagation of superior genotypes, which is crucial for conserving and disseminating valuable plant material. Furthermore, meristem culture effectively eradicates viruses from infected plants, ensuring the production of disease-free planting stock. Tissue culture techniques are also instrumental in generating genetic variability through somaclonal variation, in vitro mutagenesis, and in vitro selection. These methods provide a substantial source of genetic diversity, facilitating the development of new plant varieties with advantageous characteristics. Beyond generating variation, tissue culture is indispensable for genetic engineering, allowing for the stable integration of exogenous DNA into plant cells to produce transgenic plants with novel traits. Embryo rescue is another significant application. It overcomes challenges in seed development and enabling successful hybridization between otherwise incompatible plant species. By salvaging immature embryos and culturing them to maturity, this technique allows for the creation of hybrid plants possessing desirable trait combinations that would be unattainable through conventional breeding. In conclusion, these techniques have profoundly transformed plant science, offering diverse applications for genetic manipulation, crop improvement, and basic research. By enabling precise control over plant development at the cellular and tissue levels, these techniques are critical for developing improved crops with enhanced yield, nutritional quality, and resilience to environmental stressors.