Does soil texture affect the selection of transplanting depth and plant density in rice?

Soil texture may alter transplanting depth and plant density in rice ( Oryza sativa L.). This study, undertaken in northern Iran during 2022 and 2023, examined the interaction between transplanting depth and plant density at two locations with different soil textures and similar climatic conditions. Treatments included two transplanting depths (shallow and deep) as main plots and three plant densities (low, medium, and high) as subplots. A randomized complete block design with a split‐plot arrangement and four replications was utilized. According to the results, at the flowering stage, the maximum root‐to‐shoot length ratio was obtained under shallow transplanting at medium density. In the clay loam soil in 2023, shallow transplanting at high density had the highest number of panicles per square meter and the highest 1000‐grain weight. The highest grain yield in the clay loam soil was observed under shallow transplanting at low density, followed by deep transplanting at high density. The lowest grain yield in the sandy loam soil was attained under shallow transplanting at high density. In the clay loam soil, the lowest percentages of broken rice and chalkiness were observed; shallow transplanting at medium density also minimized broken rice. For maximum grain yield in the clay loam soil, shallow transplanting at low density or deep transplanting at high density is recommended.