Effect of Seedling Age and Hill Density on Yield Performance of Pakistani Basmati Rice

Abstract

Optimizing seedling age and number of seedlings per hill is crucial for improving the yield performance of transplanted rice. A field experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh from July to December 2023 to assess the effect of seedling age at transplanting and number of seedlings per hill on the yield performance of Pakistani Basmati rice during the aman season. The study included four seedling ages (25, 30, 35, and 40 days) and three seedling densities per hill (2, 3, and 4 seedlings). The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Results revealed that seedling age significantly influenced plant height, total and effective tillers hill-1, grains panicle-1, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, straw yield, biological yield, and harvest index. The highest grain yield (3.23 t ha-1) and straw yield (6.50 t ha-1) were recorded from 35-day-old seedlings, while the lowest grain yield (2.75 t ha-1) and straw yield (5.06 t ha-1) were observed in 40-day-old seedlings. Number of seedlings per hill also showed significant effects on most yield attributes, except non-effective tillers hill-1, 1000-grain weight, and harvest index. The highest grain yield (3.21 t ha-1) and straw yield (6.11 t ha-1) were obtained from 3 seedlings per hill, whereas the lowest grain yield (2.82 t ha-1) and straw yield (5.52 t ha-1) were recorded from 2 seedlings per hill. Significant interaction effects between seedling age and seedlings per hill were observed for most yield traits. The best performance was achieved from the combination of 35-day-old seedlings with 3 seedlings per hill, producing the highest grain yield (3.46 t ha-1) and straw yield (7.34 t ha-1). Overall, 35-day-old seedlings transplanted at 3 seedlings per hill was identified as the most effective combination for maximizing yield of Pakistani Basmati rice in the aman season.