Plant establishment is important because a well, established plant equates to a successful rice crop. It is also done to maintain a uniform stand on healthy rice seedlings. A rice plant with poor establishment can have its growth/standing affected.

Cultivar, seedling vigor, seeding method, seeding date, soil properties, seeding rate, seed treatments, environment and geographic location are the factors that influence plant establishment.

Direct seeding and transplanting either manually or mechanically are the ways to establish the plant. According to a study conducted by PHilMech (2015), rice farmers are better off in using mechanical transplanter compared to manual transplanting as income is increased by Php 640.00 to Php 13,755.00 ha-1.

The quality of seed, soil type or condition, and water supply all affect plant establishment.

Best yield, least cost and ease of operation are the considerations in plant establishment.