Effect of Pruning Seedling Leaves 21 Days After Sowing on the Growth of Rice Plants (Oryza Sativa L.)

Abstract

This study aims to determine the effect of leaf pruning on the growth of rice plants (Oryza sativa L.) on irrigated rice fields. The study was carried out in Kampung Lalang Village, Sunggal District, Deli Serdang Regency, in July–September 2025 using a non-factorial Group Random Design (RAK) with three treatments and nine replicates, namely: P0 (without pruning), P1 (pruning 5 cm from rice shoots), and P2 (pruning 10 cm from rice shoots). The observed parameters were plant height and number of seedlings. The results of the study showed that the pruning treatment did not affect the growth parameters. At the observation of week 7, the height parameters of the plants did not differ significantly between treatments, with an average of 94.33 cm (P0), 95.06 cm (P1), and 94.94 cm (P2). The highest number of saplings was obtained in the P2 treatment with an average of 8.78 saplings per clump, indicating that pruning is able to stimulate lateral shoot growth through increased cytokinin hormone activity. P2 treatment improves the formation of chicks. Thus, the treatment of pruning 10 cm leaves from rice shoots can be recommended as an agronomic technique to stimulate vegetative growth.