This study was conducted to investigate the effect of plant growth retardants on the growth and characters related with lodging in rice. The results are summarized as follows. Plant height which is closely related to lodging was significantly inhibited by the application of inabenfide, paclobutrazol, and uniconazole. Among the tested application times, inabenfide, paclobutrazol, and uniconazole were the most effective in inhibiting plant height at 30, 20, 20 days before heading respectively. Inabenfide was markedly effective in reducing the lower (4th) internode length, whereas paclobutrazol and uniconazole were more effective in reducing the upper (3rd and 2nd) internode length. Internode wall of rice plant treated with chemicals was tended to be thickened as compared with control. Heading date was not influenced by inabenfide, but paclobutrazol and uniconazole were inhibited 1 or 2 days in heading date as compared with control. Lodging index was the most reduced when inabenfide was applied 30 days before heading with 160g ai whereas paclobutrazol and uniconazole were applied 15 days before heading with 12, 1.2g ai per 10a, respectively. All the treatments inhibited the lodging of rice but control was completely lodged. Yield treated with these chemicals was prevented by 10-12% of yield decrease occurred by lodging. As a conclusion, inabenfide with 120 or 160g ai at 40 or 30 days before heading, paclobutrazol with 12g ai at 15 days before heading, arid uniconazole with 1.2g ai at 15 days before heading appear to be the most practical application time and rate for preventing lodging in paddy rice.