Tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L.) produces a rapid growth during 6 to 7-week period of transplant development in the float system. Clipping float transplants is a common and recommended procedure to improve stem length uniformity and to delay field transplanting. However, it requires increased management and labor. Gibberellins-inhibiting plant growth regulators (PGR's) are used in agronomic crops to reduce unwanted longitudinal shoot growth without lowering the yields. A study was initiated on burley tobacco to determine the impact of several PGR's on transplant development and the number of clippings that can be eliminated during this rapid growth period. Seedlings from different burley varieties were initially treated 2 to 3 weeks after the seeding. Foliar spray (237 l ha^-1) of anti-gibberellins, flurprimidol (0.05%, w/v) and trinexapac-ethyl (0.2%, v/v), were the most effective treatments for suppressing vegetative growth. These treatments significantly or completely eliminated the need for clipping seedlings in the float system. Growth control and "hardening" of seedlings are also critical management factors for float system success. When compared with control and gibberellin-treated transplants, these PGR's significantly retarded stem elongation and increased stem diameter. Dry weight and leaf thickness of the transplants were not affected. Number of usable transplants per tray was similar to the control, suggesting a high degree of shoot size uniformity. In the field, transplants were noticeably more uniform, having a reduced internode length but with a higher number of leaves per plant and a slightly darker green pigmentation.