Asian rice
A grass-family crop that produces rice grain, with narrow leaves and grain-bearing panicles to observe.
- Scientific name
- Oryza sativa
- Family
- Poaceae
- Other names
- Rice · Asian cultivated rice
- Reviewed
A reference photograph of rice. Leaf and panicle appearance can vary with cultivar, production system and growth stage.
Photo credit: Augustus Binu : flickr : Instagram
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
The photograph was resized and converted to JPEG.
Names and classification
Rice is a crop in the grass family, and this entry covers Oryza sativa. Cultivars of cultivated rice should not be treated as the same thing as other wild rice species.
Observable features
Long, narrow leaves emerge from the stems, and new shoots develop at the base in a process called tillering. Panicles carry many spikelets, with grains developing after fertilization.
Distribution and habitat
Long cultivated in Asia, it is now grown in many countries. Production systems include upland rice as well as irrigated paddies, so not all rice always grows in standing water.
Ecology and life cycle
Growth progresses through vegetative development, panicle formation and flowering, and grain filling. Timing varies with cultivar, temperature and day length, making it difficult to transfer a rice calendar unchanged between regions.
Cultivation and care
Manage water and nutrients according to cultivar and regional production system. Rather than presenting continuous flooding as the only correct method, consider soil, growth stage and local agricultural guidance together.
Observation and use precautions
Obtain the grower's permission before entering a paddy or removing panicles. A growing plant differs from rice processed and sold as food; do not eat rice seed treated for planting.