Missing Hills in Rice Experimental Plots1

The effects of missing hills on the performance of the surrounding plants were investigated in a series of rice (Oryza satlva L.) field experiments under several conditions. Plants immediately adjacent to a missing hill were found to have significantly more panicles and higher yield than plants surrounded by living hills. The magnitude of the increase, however, varied with variety, plant spacing, fertility level, crop season, and the number and the distribution of missing hills. The stand correction method is therefore not applicable to rice. To determine yields of plots wtih missing hills, only fully competitive plants should be harvested.