Drought occurs most frequently and severely around transplanting season of the rice plants in Korea. Shortage of water due to drought for the paddy fields often delays transplanting, and less often the rice plants are subjected to water stress after delayed transplanting. The present study aimed at quantification of the rice crop loss due to delayed transplanting, different inten3ity of water stress, and the combined effect of delay in transplanting followed by water stress for better use of limited water for irrigation under drought. The rice variety Chucheong, a japonica, and Nampung, an indica x japonica, were grown, transplanted to 1/200 a plastic pots, and subjected to different timing of transplanting and degree of water stress under a rainfall autosersing, sliding clear plastic roof facility with completely randomized arrangement of 5 replications. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1.Twelve days or 22 days delay in transplanting without water stress reduced rice yield by 25% and 43% in the japonica variety, and by 15% and 60% in the indica x japonica variety. 2.The 10 days or 20 days water stress developed without irrigation after drainage in the rice plants transplanted at proper time lowered the water potential at the paddy soil 10cm deep to -4 bar, and -12 bar and caused rice yield reduction by 14%, and 45% in the japonica variety and by 8%, and 50% in the indica X japonica variety. 3.The 12 days delay in transplanting and 10 days or 20 days water stress reduced rice yield by 39% and 59% in the japonica variety, and by 38% and 52% in the indica x japonica variety. The 22 days delay in transplanting plus 10 days water stress caused yield reduction by 76%, i.e. meaningless yield, in both varieties. 4.The intermittent irrigation just to wet the soil body for 10 days after 10 days water stress without irrigation increased rece yield by 12 to 16% compared to the rice plants water stessed without irrigation continuously for 20 days in both varieties respectively. 5.The above results suggest strongly 1) to transplant the rice plants at proper .time even with some water stress rather than delay for sufficient water from later rainfall, and 2) to distribute insufficient irrigation water to broader area of transplanted rice with limited irrigation for better use of limited irrigation water. A greater sensitivity of japonica variety to a moderate water stress than the indica X japonica variety during initial rooting and tillering stage was noticed. To cope with frequent drought in rice culture, firstly the lasting time of transplanting without yield reduction should be clarified by region and variety, and secondly a scheme of rational distribution of limited water should be developed by region with better knowledge on the varietal distribution of limited water should be developed by region with better knowledge on the varietal responses to varying intensity of water stress.