Rice Plant Wiki – Info & Uses

Rice as a commodity around the world

Rice is one of the most popular foods especially in Asia, where the vast majority of the world production takes place. Rice is commercially grown in over 110 countries. Top 5 producing countries are China, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. However, the top 5 rice exporting countries are India, Thailand, United States, Pakistan and Vietnam. Apart from Asia and the United States, rice is also commercially grown with great success in Mediterranean countries (Italy, Morocco, Greece), in Latin America (Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina) and in Central Europe (Belgium, Netherlands).

Rice is believed to be the third most important agricultural commodity after sugar and maize.

Rice Plant Information

Rice (Oryza sativa) is normally an annual, monocot plant, belonging to the Poaceae (Gramineae) family. We grow the grass species Oryza in order to collect the seeds (rice) for edible use. In most cases, rice is an annual plant. However, in very rare cases, the rice plant grows as a perennial and can survive 10 or more years. The biological cycle of annual rice (days from seedling to harvest) ranges from 95 days (very early varieties) to almost 250 days (very late varieties). Medium maturing varieties can be harvested 120-150 days after sowing.

The rice plant consists of the roots, stem, leaves, and panicle. The root system of the plant can have a length of 10 inches (25-30 cm) to over 40 inches (100 cm). The rice seed is often called as grain. When panicles are ripened, they normally contain from 50-60 to over 120 grains for every rice plant. The grain structure has three layers; the shell, the bran coat and the endosperm, which contains the embryo.

Rice Plant Wiki – Info & Uses

How to grow Rice – Rice Complete Growing Guide from Seeding to Harvest

Rice Field and Soil Preparation

Rice Planting, Seeding Requirements – Seed Rate of Rice

Nutrient Management in Rice Crops – Rice Plant Fertilization

Rice Pest and Diseases

Rice Harvesting, Yield per Hectare and Storage

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