A total of 23 elite rice cultivars from eight countries were evaluated for cold tolerance using two screening methods at Chuncheon Substation, National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), Republic of Korea. The rice cultivars Jinbu, Mustaqillik, and Avangard showed cold tolerance and high spikelet fertility (63–79%) in cold-water irrigation screening. Under greenhouse screening, five cultivars (Giza 177, Avangard, Mustaqillik, Jinbu, and Jungan) showed high cold tolerance and high spikelet fertility (71–81%). Simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker analysis of 21 genotypes revealed two major clusters, the japonica and indica groups, with a genetic similarity of 0.69. Out of 21 rice cultivars, only four (Giza 178 from Egypt, Attey and Zakha from Bhutan, and Millin from Australia) fell under the indica cluster. The cold-tolerant varieties Jinbu, Mustaqillik, and Avangard were clustered with the japonica group, which had genetic similarity of 0.83. These varieties are considered as potential germplasm that will help diversify the japonica gene pool for cold-tolerant rice breeding. A one-way linear analysis of variance identified a significant relationship between individual alleles and traits. Three SSR markers were significantly associated with spikelet fertility under cold-water irrigation on chromosomes 1, 2, and 7. Five SSR markers were associated with spikelet fertility under a cool-environment greenhouse on chromosomes 8, 9, 10, and 12. The SSR markers associated with cold tolerance may also be useful as selection markers in indica/japonica cross combinations to improve cold tolerance.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  

• Cold stress resilience in rice: genotypic variation, yield traits, and GGE biplot insights
  Tanaya Bala, Sarita Pradhan, Twinkle Jena, Sujatha Patta, Simanta Mohanty, Kamini Kaushal, Megha Kumari, Sandeep Kumar Mallik, Manoj Kumar Rout
  Scientific Reports.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Identification and evaluation of high-performing advanced germplasm of rice through morphological and breeding value analysis
  Md. Ariful Islam, Md. Moniruzzaman Hasan, Mohammad Anwar Hossain, Md. Ashraful Haque, Md. Nur Alam Siddique, Md. Shamsuddoha, Muhammad Ashraful Habib, Sumaiya Sultana Risha
  Discover Agriculture.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Mitigating cold stress in rice: a study of genotype performance and sowing time
  Yasser Z. El-Refaee, Hany S. Gharib, Shimaa A. Badawy, Eman M. Elrefaey, Samira A.F. El-Okkiah, Mohamed K. Okla, María Gabriela Maridueña-Zavala, Hamada AbdElgawad, Amira M. El-Tahan
  BMC Plant Biology.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Selection of rice breeding lines for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses
  A. Amirova, B. Usenbekov, Kh. Berkimbay, D. Mynbayeva, S. Atabayeva, G. Baiseitova, A. Meldebekova, Zh. Zhunusbayeva, S. Kenzhebayeva, S. Mukhambetzhanov
  Brazilian Journal of Biology.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Phenotypic and Molecular Characterization of Rice Genotypes’ Tolerance to Cold Stress at the Seedling Stage
  Nasira Akter, Partha Sarathi Biswas, Md. Abu Syed, Nasrin Akter Ivy, Amnah Mohammed Alsuhaibani, Ahmed Gaber, Akbar Hossain
  Sustainability.2022; 14(9): 4871.     CrossRef
• Screening of rice germplasms (Oryza sativa L.) for seedling stage cold tolerance utilizing morphological and molecular markers
  Brijesh Kumar Singh, Monoj Sutradhar, Chayanika Lahkar, Amit Kumar Singh, N.G. Tombisana Meetei, Nirmal Mandal
  Ecological Genetics and Genomics.2022; 24: 100128.     CrossRef
• Genetic relationship of tropical region‐bred temperate japonica rice (Oryza sativa) plants and their grain yield variations in three different tropical environments
  Jeom‐Sig Lee, Gideon Torollo, Alexis Ndayiragije, Jean Berchmans Bizimana, Il‐Ryong Choi, Alaine Gulles, Un‐Sang Yeo, O‐Young Jeong, Shoba Venkatanagappa, Bo‐Kyeong Kim, Sang Nag Ahn
  Plant Breeding.2018; 137(6): 857.     CrossRef
• Agro-Morphological Evaluation of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) for Seasonal Adaptation in the Sahelian Environment
  Daba Ndour, Diaga Diouf, Isaac Bimpong, Abdoulaye Sow, Ghislain Kanfany, Baboucarr Manneh
  Agronomy.2016; 6(1): 8.     CrossRef
• Nuclear and chloroplast diversity and phenotypic distribution of rice (Oryza sativa L.) germplasm from the democratic people’s republic of Korea (DPRK; North Korea)
  HyunJung Kim, Eung Gi Jeong, Sang-Nag Ahn, Jeffrey Doyle, Namrata Singh, Anthony J Greenberg, Yong Jae Won, Susan R McCouch
  Rice.2014;[Epub]     CrossRef