Rice is derived from the seed of the grass Oryza sativa, sometimes known as Asian rice, or the less common Oryza glaberrima (African rice). Domesticated rice is the most popular staple meal consumed by more than half of the world’s population, primarily in Asia and Africa. After maize and sugarcane, it is the agricultural product with the third-highest global production. Rice is the most significant food crop with respect to human nutrition and caloric intake, delivering more than one-fifth of the calories consumed by humans globally. This is because significant portions of sugarcane and maize crops are used for reasons other than human consumption. Rice comes in a wide variety, and regional differences in cuisine are common. Although monocot rice is often produced as an annual plant, it can persist as a perennial in tropical climates and can yield a ratoon crop for up to 30 years. Given that it requires a lot of labour and a lot of water to produce, rice is best grown in nations and areas with low labour costs and heavy rainfall. However, with the use of water-controlling terrace systems, rice may be cultivated almost anywhere, even on a steep hill or mountain environment.

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About Rice

Although the parent species of rice are indigenous to Asia and some regions of Africa, centuries of commerce and exports have made rice a staple food in many different cultures. According to estimates, rice production and consumption contributed approximately 30% of all agricultural greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

History of Rice

The evolution of rice has a lengthy and intricate history. The Yangtze River basin in China is where Oryza sativa rice was originally domesticated, according to the current scientific consensus, between 13,500 and 8,200 years ago. This conclusion is based on archaeological and linguistic data. From that first planting, migration and trade helped spread rice throughout the world, first to most of East Asia, then farther afield, and then, as part of the Columbian Exchange, to the Americas. Since its widespread use, rice has developed into a crop that is vital to global food security and culinary traditions. Over 40,000 different Oryza sativa cultivars have been produced as a result of local variations. Production has increased in recent decades with the advent of new varieties like golden rice, which was genetically modified to comprise beta carotene, as well as other latest changes in agricultural, practices and breeding methods as part of the Green Revolution as well as other transfers of agricultural technologies.

Rice Climate Requirements

Throughout India, rice is cultivated in a wide range of climatic and altitude conditions. In India, rice is grown from 8 to 35º N latitude and up to 3000 metres above sea level. A hot, humid atmosphere is necessary for rice production. It works best in areas with high humidity, continuous sunshine, and a reliable supply of water. The crop needs an average temperature between 21 and 37 ° C. for the duration of its life. 40° to 42° C is the highest temperature the crop can tolerate.

Rice Soil Requirements

Silts, loams, and gravels are just a few of the several types of soil on which rice can grow. Both acidic and alkaline soils are acceptable to it. However, clayey loam is an excellent soil type for growing this crop. Actually, it is simple to turn clayey soil into the mud, which makes it simple to transplant rice seedlings. This crop flourishes on moist, submerged soil during its growing season, so proper care must be taken. For water retention, rice fields should be level and have low mud walls. In the plains, extra rainwater is allowed to gently trickle through the rice fields and flood them. Lowland or wet rice is cultivated in the well-watered lowland regions. For the production of rice, slopes in mountainous locations are carved into terraces. As a result, the rice cultivated in mountainous places is referred to as dry or upland rice. In comparison to wet rice, upland rice has a lower yield per hectare. Rice can be cultivated in both acidic as well as alkaline soil.

Rice Farming Techniques

The majority of farmers use the nursery bed farming approach. Making nursery beds takes up roughly one-twentieth of the entire field. In the bed, the paddy seeds are sowed. In low-lying places, they are ready for transplantation within 25 days of sowing, however, at higher altitudes, it takes them roughly 55 days. Rice can be grown using one of four different techniques: transplantation, drilling, or broadcasting method.

1. Transplantation Method: The most popular approach involves transplantation, in which the seeds are first planted in a nursery and the seedlings are moved to the main field once they have three to four leaves. Despite being the approach with the highest yield, it needs a lot of work.
2. Drilling Method: Only in India is drilling practised. With this technique, one person prepares the ground by digging a hole, and the other person plants the seed. Typical an ox is employed for ploughing the ground.
3. Broadcast Method: The broadcast approach typically entails manually dispersing the seeds over a big area or throughout the entire field. Both the labour and the precision required are quite minimal. When compared to other methods, this one yields a very low yield.

Rice Physiology

There are several vegetative and reproductive stages that the rice plant goes through. Starting with the beginning of seed germination, the vegetative phase advances to seedling development, tiller manifestation and multiplication, shoot and root lengthening and expansion, leaf appearance and development, as well as the production of aerenchyma and stomata. The reproductive phase follows the vegetative phase and begins with the development of spikelets. Megasporo- and megagametogenesis, microsporo- and microgametogenesis, fertilisation, and cascades of grain development then follow. Rice grows well and yields well in a range of settings, but the reproductive phase, and particularly the grain development, is the most crucial stage and determines the yield potential. However, abiotic stressors and environmental restrictions reduce its output. Submergence, drought, salinity, and heat stress are examples of abiotic stressors.

Rice Crop Development

Depending on the variety and the location, the life cycle of rice cultivars spans 105 to 145 days from germination to maturity. Three agronomic stages of development can be used to categorise the growth of rice plants:

1. Vegetative stage (germination to panicle initiation (PI)).
2. Reproductive stage (PI to heading).
3. Filling and ripening, or maturation, of grains (heading to maturity).

The three yield components are influenced by these stages:

1. Quantity of panicles per square unit of land.
2. The mean amount of grain per panicle.
3. The weight of each grain on average.

The grain yield is determined by these three factors.

Rice Crop Diseases

The most prevalent disease affecting rice farming is rice blast, which is brought on by the fungus Magnaporthe grisea. Rice blast and bacterial leaf streak, which is brought on by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, are consistently the two worst rice diseases in the world. Because of their significance and the importance of rice, they are also in the top 10 plant diseases overall. Sheath blight (caused by Rhizoctonia solani), false smut (Ustilaginoidea virens), bacterial panicle blight (Burkholderia glumae), sheath rot (Sarocladium oryzae), and bakanae (Fusarium fujikuroi) are some other significant fungal and bacterial diseases of rice. There are viral diseases like rice ragged stunt (vector: BPH) and tungro (vector: Nephotettix spp). Numerous viral diseases, particularly those spread by planthoppers and leafhoppers, are significant global loss factors.

Rice Growing Environments

Environmental factors, soil characteristics, biotic conditions, and cultural practices all have an impact on the growth and output of rice. Rainfall and water, temperature, photoperiod, solar radiation, and, occasionally, tropical storms are all important effects. The term “soil factors” describes the type of soil and its location in uplands or lowlands. Weeds, insects, illnesses, and different crop varieties are all dealt with by biotic factors. Depending on the water supply, different conditions can be used to grow rice. Although it can survive and grow here, rice does not often thrive in a soggy environment. It can, however, withstand flooding.

1. Lowland, rainfed, which is drought-prone, favours medium deepness; waterlogged, submergence, as well as flood-prone.
2. Lowland, irrigated, cultivated in both the wet season as well as the dry season.
3. Deep water or floating rice.
4. Coastal wetland.
5. Upland rice (also called hill rice) is well known for its drought tolerance.

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Rice Economy

China and India together produced 52% of the world’s paddy rice in 2020, accounting for 756.7 million metric tonnes (834.1 million short tonnes) of the total. Vietnam, Indonesia, and Bangladesh were other significant producers. The top fifteen producers accounted for 91 percent of the world’s production, while the top five producers were responsible for 72% of the total. 95 percent of the total production is accounted for by developing nations.

Top 10 Rice Producing Countries

• China
• India
• Bangladesh
• Indonesia
• Vietnam
• Thailand
• Myanmar
• Philippines
• Brazil
• Cambodia

Top Rice Producing States in India

While West Bengal has historically been the largest rice-producing state in India, other states are catching up.

1. West Bengal
2. Uttar Pradesh
3. Punjab
4. Tamilnadu
5. Andhra Pradesh
6. Bihar
7. Chhattisgarh
8. Odisha
9. Assam
10. Haryana

Indian Rice Growing Zones

Rice as a Food

Rice types are commonly divided into long, medium-, and short-grained variants. After cooking, the grains of long-grain rice (rich in amylose) are more likely to remain intact than those of medium-grain rice (high in amylopectin). Medium-grain rice is used in numerous rice recipes, including arrs negre in Spain, risotto in Italy, and sweet dishes. Thai Sticky rice, a type of long-grain rice with a high amylopectin content, is typically steamed. For sushi, stickier short-grain rice is utilised; this allows the cooked rice to maintain its shape. In Japan, short-grain rice is frequently consumed, even while savoury foods are being served. For rice pudding, short-grain rice is frequently utilised.

Rice Nutritional Information

Rice Health Effects

The only difference between brown and white rice is the way it is processed. The bran layer is still present in the brown rice kernels. The bran layer is polished away in white rice. Although some white rice is fortified, the bran layer makes brown rice more nutrient-dense than white. Additionally, brown rice takes longer to cook due to the bran layer. Brown rice is the most nutrient-dense rice. People with diabetes may find that brown rice helps them manage their blood sugar. According to several research, consuming a lot of white rice raises the risk of developing diabetes. Three different kinds of phenolics, which are antioxidants found in plants naturally, are found in brown rice. By preventing free radicals from causing cell damage, antioxidants can lower the risk of developing cancer. Rice’s bran layer and the germ, a grain’s reproductive component, both contain phenols. Many of the phenolics are lost when the bran is removed to produce white rice.

There are two specific food safety problems with rice. One is Bacillus cereus, a species of bacteria that, if not kept cool, thrives in rice and other starchy foods. To avoid this, cooked food intended for later consumption is advised to be refrigerated. The second risk related to rice is the presence of the highly toxic element arsenic in the grain. The crust of the planet contains arsenic. The quantity of arsenic is increased by fertiliser and pesticide contamination of the soil and groundwater. Since rice is produced in water, it accumulates more arsenic than other grains. By rinsing the rice and cooking it with more water, it can be reduced from the grain.

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