M any 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

T he 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, theyre 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 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 cycles 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 couldnt 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-

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 gray-green 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 its not a large part of their culture?

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