Three cultivars, HD 1977, HD 2028 and Raj, 857 were raised under uniform optimal field conditions in rows, 20 cm apart at four population levels from 200 to 500 seedlings m-2 and treatments consisting of mother shoots (M), one (M+1) or two (M+2) tillers of the first two leaves respectively retained by continuous pulling out of the emerging tillers in a double split design. Varietal differences in grain yield at respective densities as well as treatments were not significant. The interaction effects between densities and treatments indicated that ear number per unit area were similar in M+2 and control at all population levels whereas heavier densities in M+1 or M would be required to realize ear number similar to control. Grain weight per ear bears an inverse relation with final ear number irrespective of treatment or densities thus providing effective compensation to grain yield pattern. The grain yield of mother shoots alone was much less at lower densities and was no better than either control or restricted tillering at higher densities.
