Plant architecture, a collection of the important agronomic traits that determine grain production in rice, is mainly affected by factors including tillering, plant height and panicle morphology. Recently, significant progress has been made in isolating and collecting of mutants that are defective in rice plant architecture. Although our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control rice tillering, panicle development and plant height are still limited, new findings have begun to emerge. This review, therefore, summarizes the recent progress in exploring the mechanisms that control rice plant architecture.