Hello friends, welcome to our new article. Today, we will talk about rice, which we eat every day. It is just like saying that we do not fill our belly without rice.
Today, we will learn which family and genus it comes from, where it originated, and in which countries and regions it is produced the most. So, let’s start.
What is Rice?
Rice, an essential food source for humanity, is obtained from the genus Oryza sativa of the family Gramineae. This is presumably of eastern origin, although there have been advocates of an American center of domestication. Notably, nearly half the world’s population subsists wholly or partially upon Rice, underscoring its global importance.
The rice plant is a large annual grass that grows to a height of 2 to 4 feet. Its floral access consists of numerous branches, each ending in a grain. The detached grain with the husk is known as paddy. There are innumerable varieties of Rice in India.
Rice, a crop of global significance, is primarily cultivated in China, Jawa, and the Indian Ocean. However, it’s India that stands as the epicenter of rice cultivation. The states of Madras, Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odessa, Assam, Maharashtra, and Punjab are India’s main hubs of rice production.
Rice, a tropical plant, thrives in hot and moist climatic conditions. It requires a temperature range of 20 – 25 degrees Celsius during the growing stage, and bright, warm sunshine is a must at maturity.
The plant’s water requirements are so high that after 60 to 90 days of sowing, the seed needs to be submerged under 15 to 20 CM of water.
Rice grows best in regions with 120 to 150 cm of annual rainfall and alluvial or clayey loams with high nitrate contents.
Rice is cultivated under a variety of conditions, showcasing its adaptability. The damp rice variety, popularly known as a man, has a lifespan of 140 to 170 days and grows in low areas with plenty of water throughout the year. Up-plant Rice is also known to grow in rained areas for 90-120 days, whereas the semi-dry Rice of Boro is grown as an intercrop, demonstrating the plant’s resilience.
Up-plant Rice is also known to grow in rained areas for 90-120 days, whereas the semi-dry Rice of Boro is grown as an intercrop.
Rice cultivation follows double crop practice, i.e., short-duration Rice is followed by a medium or long-duration variety or vice versa, depending on the season and water availability.
The rice crop grows under various environmental conditions, involving several fascinating and intricate problems of physiological adaptation. The cultivation process includes sowing, harvesting, and threshing, each requiring specific techniques and care.
Sowing
Before sowing, The Field is plowed thoroughly, and then the seeds are sowed in seed beds. The temperature requirement for germination ranges from 6 degrees to 47 degrees Celsius.
Rice seeds can germinate underwater under anaerobic conditions. When the plants are 9 to 10 inches tall, they are transplanted to a field where they are flooded and completely immersed in water.
Aus or upland rice (neutral variety) is Sown in May – June, and a man or lowland rice (short day variety) Is sown in December and January.
Harvesting
On maturity, the plants turn yellow and are harvested. The variety is harvested in September and October, and the amount is harvested in November and December, whereas the borrow variety is harvested in March and April.
The plants are harvested by cutting their stalks and pilling them up for drying. The grains are kept intact within their husk and are separated only before use.
Threshing
The grains enclosed within the husk are commonly known as Dhan. For domestic use, the Dhan Threshed by pounding the Husked grains with a wooden mallet and then winnowed.
The resultant grain, though somewhat coarse, has a high nutrient content of protein, fat, and starch. Commercial Rice is prepared by threshing and winnowing machines and finally scoured, polished, and graded. The Rice’s harsh fine loses its outer nutritive content.
Rice has a considerably high nutrient content, with about 90% carbohydrate, 8-10% protein, 1% fats, and about 1% mineral matter. It also contains phosphoric acid and potash, making it a nutritious choice for a staple food.
Phosphoric acid and Phosphoric acid and potash are also present.
Rice forms are stapled from food in many countries like China, Japan, India, Korea, etc. The various uses of Rice are –
- It is the most common form of food consumed by millions worldwide.
- The dried stalks, known as rice straw, are commonly used to manufacture straw boards, paper, and mats.
- Bran oil is an important oil prepared from bran. It is widely used in making soaps and cosmetics as an anticorrosive agent, lubricant, and rust-resistant compound.
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