So, in the common usage, rice is not an herb; in the botanical sense, it’s often though of as an herbaceous plant; however, there are species of rice that endure and produce seeds year after year for decades, so some species are not herbaceous at all. “Shrub” is also a generic description rather than a botanical term.

grass plant

Rice is a type of grass (genus Oryza) that belongs to a family of plants that includes other cereals such as wheat and corn. Rice grain is rich in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals and is the staple food for more than 3 billion people.

Foods such as popcorn, rice, and oatmeal are also included in the Grains Group. Grains are divided into 2 subgroups: Whole Grains and Refined Grains. Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel ― the bran, germ, and endosperm.

Many rice cultivars grown today are perennials that are cultivated as annuals (Figure 1). Genotypes of Oryza sativa vary greatly in their propensity to ratoon (regrow) after an initial harvest of grain (Chauhan et al. 1985; Krishnamurthy, 1988).

tropical marshes

Top 10 Rice Consuming Countries

Archaeologists from southeast Asia contend that rice agriculture began in south-central China, along the Yangzte river, and spread from there southwards and to northeast towards Korea and Japan. Archaeologists in India argue that rice cultivation began in the Ganges river valley.

Rice originates in tropical lowlands and requires a long, warm growing season but is cultivated commercially in California and some of the Southeastern states. It thrives in USDA hardiness zones 9b through 10a. It can be grown wherever nighttime temperatures stay above 60 degrees for at least three months of the year.

Planting rice is easy; getting it to grow through harvest is challenging. Next, either purchase rice seed from a gardening supplier or buy long grain brown rice from a bulk foods store or in a bag. Organically grown rice is best and it can’t be white rice, which has been processed.

It is possible to grow rice at home, but you need to be realistic in your expectations—you won’t be able to harvest enough rice for more than a meal or two even if things go well. Because growing rice requires a long, warm growing season of 160 to 180 days, much more than any other garden crop.

Roots also need to take up water from the soil to support plant growth. Rice is a crop that can flourish in flooded soils, whereas many other plants will die, so flooding of rice paddies is an important way to control weeds in rice fields.

Rice Production by State

Soils with good water retention capacity with high amount of clay and organic matter are ideal for rice cultivation. Clay or clay loams are most suited for rice cultivation. Such soils are capable of holding water for long and sustain crop. Rice being a semi-aquatic crop, grows best under sub-merge conditions.

Growing Requirements An area that gets full sun, a minimum of 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day, is required to grow rice.

There are three seasons for growing rice in India viz. – autumn, winter and summer. These three seasons are named according to the season of harvest of the crop. Autumn rice is known as pre-kharif rice.

The duration of rice (short/medium/long) that is best suited for growing in shade i.e. at low R/FR, (ii). The seedling or mature plant phenotype that could be taken as the characteristic for obtaining low R/FR tolerance in field condition, (iii).

Rice plants grow to a height of three to four feet over an average of 120 days after planting. During this time, farmers irrigate the rice fields using the method that best fits that field or farm.

Things we will be looking at are;

1. Choose the right land for your rice farming.
2. Prepare the land for rice production.
3. Choose right varieties of rice to plant.
4. Plant your rice at the right time.
5. Use appropriate method of planting.
6. Apply fertilizer appropriately.
7. Control weed in your rice farm.
8. Control the pest in your farm.

The number of grains per panicle is determined by variety and stand density. Most California varieties commonly produce 70 – 100 grains per panicle; the higher the plant density the lower the number of grains per panicle.