[Objective] The physiological characteristics and yield compensation effects of rice in booting stage were studied after water recovery when rice suffered water stress to provide references for improving rice water utilization efficiency and its drought resistance. [Method] The pot experiments with five rice varieties under three different treatments of water stresses were conducted to study physical signs every six days after water water-recovery. [Result] Along with the increase of water recov- ery, leaf water potential, SPAD and Pn values in treatment B （light drought） in- creased fast, and its compensation effect of the soluble sugar content was higher than that of treatment C （severe drought）; all sap flow speeds in treatments with water stresses fell. As for yield components, panicles per plant and spikelets per panicle decreased with water stress degree, and the decline of spikelets per pani- cle, in particular, was greatly influenced by water stress. Seed setting percentages in treatment B most reached peaks of different varieties, except of D you No. 363. The thousand-seed weight and ear weight per plant in treatment B and C both dropped, compared with control group. [Conclusion] When regular management was resumed after rice underwent water stress at booting stage, many characteristics and yield traits of rice got favorable compensation effects in the light water-stress treatments.
