RESPONSE OF TRANSPLANTED RICE (Oryza sativa L. × Oryza glaberrima Steudel) TO PLANT SPACING AND NUMBER OF SEEDLINGS PER HILL UNDER IRRIGATION IN MIDDLE AWASH, ETHIOPIA

Abstract:

Optimum plant spacing and number of seedlings per hill are important agronomic practices for the productivity of rice. Hence, field experiment was carried out to assess the effect of plant spacing and number of seedlings per hill on yield components and yield of transplanted rice under irrigation at Werer, Middle Awash. Factorial combinations of 2 inter-row spacing (20 cm and 30 cm), 3 intra-row spacing (10 cm, 15 cm and 20 cm) and 3 seedlings (2, 3 and 4) per hill were laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. Among the main effect of number of seedling per hill, 3 seedlings per hill gave significantly (P