Assessing the Impact of Tiller-Cutting and Leaf-Cutting Techniques on Rice Growth and Yield: A Comparative Study

A field experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Department of Agronomy and Agricultural Extension, University of Rajshahi, from August 2022 to November 2022 to determine the comparative effect of tiller-cutting and leaf-cutting on the growth and yield of rice (BRRI dhan 75). The experiment was set up using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) including 2 tiller-cutting treatments (T1= 10% tiller-cutting, T2= 20% tiller cutting) and 2 leaf-cutting treatments (T3 = 25% of old leaf removal at anthesis, T4= 50% of old leaf removal at anthesis) and those are compared with conventional practice or control (T0). Considering different growth responses as well as yield components, and yield of rice, it was found that significant differences in plant height and number of leaves per hill were observed, with T3 producing the tallest plants (99.8 cm) and T0 having the highest leaf count (78.53). The number of tillers per hill was highest in the control group (22.73), while T1 (19.01) and T2 (15.89) showed notable reductions. Panicle length did not vary significantly, but the number of grains per panicle was highest in T1 (191.0). Grain yield was highest (5.10 t/ha) in the control group, with only marginal decreases in other treatments. Straw and biological yields were significantly higher in the control group (5.86 and 10.96 t/ha respectively), while the harvest index showed no significant variance across treatments. These results indicate that tiller and leaf cutting affect certain growth parameters, but they have a minimal impact on overall grain yield and harvest index.