Rice is emerging as a model cereal for molecular biological studies. The main reasons for this is complete genome has been sequenced. As it is the staple food for more than one-third of the worlds population and is grown under a wide range of agro-climatic conditions in which it is subjected to diverse biotic and abiotic stresses. Various abiotic stresses limit rice production in rainfed environments, which comprise about 45% of the global rice area. The rainfed lowland rice ecosystem is affected by not only water deficit but also excess water. Even where rice response to stress is superior...