Control of lodging and reduction in plant length in rice (Oryza sativa L.) with the treatment of Trinexapac-Ethyl and sowing density

In this study, the effects of the plant growth regulator trinexapac-ethyl (TE) combined with different sowing densities on field-grown rice (Oryza sativa L.) plant length, lodging, and grain yield were evaluated over 2 growing seasons. Two different rice cultivars (Karadeniz and Osmancik-97), 3 different sowing densities (400, 500, and 600 seeds m-2), and 4 different doses of TE (0, 100, 200, and 300 g ai ha-1) were compared. The experiments were designed in a randomized block design in factorial ordering with 3 replicates. An increase in sowing density led to an increase of lodging, but it did not have a significant impact on plant length and grain yield. There was a significant correlation between lodging and plant length. A sowing density of 500 seeds m-2 is the optimum value among all sowing densities, and the highest yield was obtained from Osmancik-97 among all the cultivars. Irrespective of genotype and sowing density, treatments with 100 and 200, but not 300, g TE ai ha-1 increased rice yield. All doses of TE reduced lodging and plant length. By regression analyses, the optimal TE dose was predicted to be 170 g ha-1.