Rice plants are established in two main ways; direct seeding and transplanting

• Involves broadcasting dry seeds or pre-germinated seeds and seedlings by hand planting or planting them by machine
• In rain fed and deep water ecosystem, dry seed is manually broadcasted onto the soil surface and then incorporated either by ploughing or by harrowing while the soil is dry.
• In irrigated areas, seed is normally pre-germinated prior to broadcasting.
• Sow 6 seeds per station spaced at 23cm by 23cm.         
• Thinning should be done after 20 days and leave 3-4 seedlings per station.

Involves transferring Pre-germinated seedlings from a seedbed to the wet field. It requires less seeds and it is an effective method to control weeds, but it requires more labor.

• Timely preparation of a good seed-bed for seed sowing and transplanting is important for good establishment, crop growth and weed control.
• The nursery bed should be made flat and leveled for even distribution of water
• The nursery bed should measure 20m by 1m and should be 5cm high

In Malawi, sowing should be done in December for the wet season and in June for the dry season.

• Before sowing, select good quality seeds and disinfect them.
• Disinfection helps to control seed-borne diseases such as bakanae disease, brown spot, blast and grain rot.    

• Planting density ranges between 500gr and 1100gr per acre in seedbed depending on the variety
• Spacing depends on the soil fertility, season and variety (it can be 20 20cm, 15 20cm 25 25cm

Transplanting should be done in a 15 to 20 days of sowing in well prepared field in straight rows

• Uproot seedlings using a hoe to avoid cutting roots and transplanting injuries.
• Uprooted seedlings should be kept in wet basin to avoid desiccations
• Transplant 1-2 seedlings per hill
• Transplanting is done on parallel lines with 25cm of spacing between line and holes
• Transplant seedlings every 20cm by TP guide rope, then use 20cm long-stick to fix next row space.
• The suitable depth is about 3-4cm deep

Note; Deeper transplanting inhibits tillering and growth and causes poor tillering and poor panicle numbers per hill and transplanting on straight rows helps to facilitate weeding, fertilizer application and increase in yield as it reduces competition because there is enough space between plants.