The objective of this work was to evaluate the characteristics associated to water use efficiency in hybrid or conventional rice plants. The trial was installed under greenhouse conditions, in a completely randomized block design and factorial scheme 2 x 6, with four replications. The treatments consisted of one hybrid (Inov) or conventional (BRS Pelota) rice plant at the center of the plot surrounded by 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 conventional (BRS Pelota) plants. Fifty days after emergence, shoot dry mass, stomatal conductance of water vapor, leaf temperature and transpiration rates were evaluated, as well as water use efficiency through the relation between the photosynthesis and transpiration rates. Hybrid rice plants were superior to, or did not differ from, the conventional plants in relation to water use efficiency.
Oryza sativa; competition; physiology; hybridization
