Over 60% of the flue-cured tobacco transplants produced in North Carolina in 1996 were grown in float greenhouses. While use of greenhouse transplants improve labor efficiency, seedling production consistency, and field uniformity, they sometimes exhibit slower early season field growth than transplants grown in outside beds. The slower field growth may be related to slower root development of greenhouse plants, which in turn could be related to certain management practices used in the greenhouse production system. Several greenhouse management treatments were imposed on float greenhouse transplants which were compared to growth of plantbed plants at two locations in 1995 and 1996. Four plants and their roots were removed from each plot 2, 4, and 6 weeks after transplanting to evaluate early season root/shoot development and nutrient composition of the two plant types. The following observations and results were obtained in 1995: a) Shoot and root growth of float plants generally were less than those of plantbed plants during the first month after transplanting. Addition of 8-31-4 to the transplant water improved early growth of both greenhouse and plantbed plants. Float plants produced lower yields than plantbed plants at one location, but the greenhouse management treatments did not affect yield of float plants; b) Root mass of float plants actually declined and appeared to desiccate during the first month after transplanting. Root development directly from the root ball was rare, and most roots were initiated above the root ball of float plants; c) Of the greenhouse management treatments imposed, severe clipping one day before transplanting and water replacement ( i.e. nutrient removal) 10 days before transplanting had the most pronounced adverse effects on root growth in the field, and ultimately on flowering rate; d) Seeding trays 2 weeks earlier than normal to simulate a "root bound" condition did not affect early root growth of float plants. The treatments were repeated in 1996 and these data will be available for the November meeting. Additional greenhouse treatments evaluated in 1996 include addition of extra P and N to the float water 7-10 days before transplanting.