Abstract: The agronomic traits, physiological characteristics and yield traits of 9 rice varieties popularized in lower reaches of Yangtze River were investigated under submergence stress at the tillering stage. The differences of environmental adaptability to submergence stress for conventional japonica rice, indica hybrid rice and hybrid japonica rice, were also analyzed and compared. The results showed that the stem and the upper three leaves under submergence stress were elongated compared with the control. And the elongation of the different varieties was shown as, hybrid japonica rice > indica hybrid rice > conventional japonica rice. As to the numbers of tillers and green leaves, and the aboveground dry mass, the reduction of indica hybrid rice was all between hybrid japonica rice and conventional japonica rice. The damage of hybrid japonica was the lightest. The content of MDA in the leaves of conventional japonica rice increased, while the activities of SOD and CAT decreased. However, the performances of hybrid japonica rice and indica hybrid rice were opposite with conventional japonica rice. The yield loss of conventional japonica rice was significantly higher than those of the other types of rice. These results suggested that the submergence tolerance ability of hybrid japonica rice is superior to indica hybrid rice, and the submergence tolerance ability of conventional japonica rice is the weakest.