Many people use rice daily, without knowing the difficult
process of growing it.
The rice plant is an annual plant that produces an edible
seed, called rice. Rice can grow fast; it would be ready for
harvest in 5 or less months. Rice is a semi-aquatic plant
and is grown in fields flooded with water called paddies.
Its also a huge staple item in many countries. It could
also carry a lot of diseases and pests; rice has a life cycle
of 4 complicated stages.
Rice Paddy
Credits-Travelblog.org
The life cycle of rice begins with a seed, planted usually the fall.
The seed contains a protective layer on the outside called the
embryo. The endosperm, a starch- like part that provides food for
the seed as it starts to grow into a plant, the seed is planted in a
flooded field, a paddy. The paddy is prepared by plowing,
fertilizing, and smoothing out the land. With proper care, the rice
can be harvested in the spring.
Vegetative State
This stage could be divided into two, an early vegetative state, and late vegetative state, but
could also be considered as one.
The seed will start to grow, roots will start to grow down into the ground; the roots
provide nutrients and keep the plant up. Leaves will start to sprout and grow from
the water, pests and bugs will start to come and attack the plants, they’re difficult
to get rid of.This stage takes about 18 days after germination.
The later vegetative state could also be reffered to as the tilling stage. The plant is now
fully grown and around the height of 3-4 ft, it produces a reproductive stem called a
tiller; the stem will continue to grow, producing flower heads.
Rice life cycle Diagram
Reproductive stage
The flower of the plant, will create 150-200 miniature flowers, these flowers
once pollinated, form rice seeds. It takes around 30 days to complete.
Riping Stage
During the next month the rice seeds will ripen, becoming a golden
brownish color. Temperature and climate can differ the cycle’s
process of ripening, cold temperature and rain will be longer, warmer
and sunny climate will make it shorter. Rice can be harvested in
multiple ways, but the 2 most common are using a sickle and hand
cutting it, or they can use a large cutting machine. The remaining
plants are left to die, then completing the cycle.
Global Importance
Rice is a huge staple item in many countries, used in food, drinks, cosmetics, and
others. Rice also provides minerals, vitamins, and fiber, making it a healthy choice
to eat. Rice is also the most important crop to many farmers, which they make
income from. Besides economical importance, and food importance, there's cultural
importance. Growing, selling and eating rice is a tradition to the culture of many
countries. If somehow rice couldn’t grow anymore anywhere, many people would
be in trouble, some may not earn money anymore from their farms, many people
would have less things to eat, and the economy would have a vast difference in
several countries.
Rice used in Food
Credits- www.sailusfood.com
Threats
There are many threats to rice, such as pests, diseases, and pesticide.
Pests include birds, rodents, and insects, who can transfer diseases or
eat and ruin the plant. Rice Blast, caused by a fungus , is the most
significant disease affecting rice. Initial symptoms are white to graygreen spots with darker borders produced on all parts of the shoot
of the plant. Pesticide is also used to keep control of rice pests but is
harming the plant with it's chemicals at the same time.
What I learned
While I studed this cycle I learnt that rice is a very important thing
in many cultures, also that many people earn their living off of
it. In the past, I had no idea what type of plant rice was, but
now I know it's a semi-aquatic plant, because it's grows in water
and land. Also I learned that many things are dangerous to rice,
making it a vulnerable plant, but also healthy. This project was
interesting and fun to learn about.
Thoughts
I eat rice almost every day, without thinking about where it comes
from, how it grew, how healthy it is. It takes a lot of time and
work to grow rice, I would try to grow rice, but it's difficult to
in Canada's climate. I wonder if it was possible to grow rice in
Canada, would Canadians do it? Or would they reject it as it’s
not a large part of their culture?
~The End~