Rice

Rice

Rice is the plant and seeds of the Grain family Oryza sativa (Asian rice) or less commonly Oryza glaberrima (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera Zizania and Porteresia, although the term is wild and domesticated, it can also be used for primitive or uncultivated varieties of Oryza.

As a grain, bred rice is the most widely consumed staple food for more than half of the world's human population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the most important food for human nutrition and caloric intake, providing more than one-fifth of the calories consumed by humans worldwide, as large portions of sugarcane and corn crops are used for purposes other than human consumption. product. There are many varieties of rice, and culinary preferences vary regionally.

Oryza sativa with small wind-pollinated flowers
The traditional method for growing rice is to flood the fields while planting the young seedlings or afterwards. This simple method requires good irrigation planning, but reduces the growth of less resistant weeds and pest plants that do not grow under water and deters the pest. While waterlogging is not essential for rice cultivation, all other irrigation methods require more effort for weed and pest control during growing periods and a different approach to fertilizing the soil.