Abstract:Despite the high-water requirement of rice plant, paddy farmers grow rice mainly under flood irrigation. Irrigation in rice plays a major role in improving water productivity. Water productivity is the amount of yield produced per unit amount of water used by crop. Nevertheless, it depends on soil, climate, agronomic practices and method of irrigation. This study evaluates the water productivity of rice grown under the drip irrigation in comparison to flood irrigation. A container experiment was carried out in summer 2015, inside a constructed climate chamber at Dresden University of Technology, Germany. Three large PVC containers were used and in each 18 rice plants were grown (variety Bg300). Three soil matric potential based irrigation treatments were imposed from 14 days after seed establishment until 14 days before physiological maturity. Treatment T1 was maintained with a ponded depth of 3cm water. Treatments T2 and T3 were drip irrigated maintaining soil matric potentials at -150 mbar and -300mbar respectively. ) water productivities. In conclusion, water productivity of rice variety Bg300 shows very good results under drip irrigation in comparison to flood irrigation. Drip irrigation is the most efficient method of water application to crops including rice. However, its acceptance and implementation is relatively low among farmers due to technology involved in design, operation and maintenance. Still, it is a promising technology in rice cultivation in water scarce conditions under climate change.