Comparison of plant growth and yield of rice under double-row and tile transplanting systems

Abstract

Abstract To increase rice production for meeting community needs and reduce yield loss under the climate change, the Indonesian government has been recommending double-row transplanting systems, which are Jajar Legowo (JL) and Jejer Manten (JM). Some researchers found that those systems could increase the yield of the Indica rice cultivar without scientific investigations, such as differences in micrometeorological conditions under the different planting spaces. This study aimed to compare plant growth, yield, and solar radiation within the canopy in JL and JM with those in a standard tile transplanting system (TL) by planting Japonica rice cv. Nikomaru, from June 18 to October 7 2022. The result showed that the yield was higher in JL and JM than in TL, by 18.2% and 20.4%, respectively. In addition, the number of filled grain was higher in JL and JM than in TL, by 19.0% and 21.0%, respectively. JM and JL had higher leaf area index than TL during the generative stage causing higher photosynthesis in the unit area. Comparing JL and JM, JL had a smaller leaf area index resulting in lower absorption of solar radiation by the leaves. We suggested that JM is the best transplanting system for producing a higher yield.