How rice grows: where it is grown on plantations in the world, cultivation technology and planting
Rice is a very ancient and most common crop on the planet. Asia is considered the birthplace of rice. However, today it is grown in almost all countries of the world. This is not surprising, since this cereal contains many amino acids, tastes great and is easy to digest. At the same time, not everyone knows how rice grows, where exactly it is grown on plantations in the world, and what is the cultivation technology.
Rice Description
Rice is an annual crop that belongs to hydrophytes. Its cultivation requires flooded soil and an abundance of rainfall. The plant needs a lot of sun. In cloudy weather, the culture develops worse.
The optimum temperature for rice development is +25-28 degrees. With a decrease in parameters to +15 degrees, its growth slows down. If the temperature is +12 degrees, this results in empty grains.
For a cereal to develop normally, it needs a sufficient amount of nutrients. Lack of nitrogen causes a slowdown in crop development and a decrease in yield parameters. With its excess, the vegetative mass increases and the weight of the grains decreases. In addition, they are affected by fungi.
Features
Rice has a fibrous root system that penetrates 20-30 centimeters deep. Its structure includes the main and adventitious roots. A characteristic feature of the rice root system is the presence of tissue with cavities that conduct air. Due to this, the roots are well saturated with oxygen, which comes from the foliage and stems.
The stalk of rice is a straw up to 1.5-2 meters in size. The plant has long narrow leaves, which are distinguished by a pronounced vein. They reach 50 centimeters in length, and 1 in width. The inflorescence is a panicle, which reaches 30 centimeters in length. During the ripening period, fruits appear in the form of grains, which are located in the flowering scales.
Several fields are used to grow crops. Grass needs to be planted intermittently. After harvesting, the fields need to be drained and sown with sweet clover, clover and alfalfa. Thanks to this, it is possible to improve the characteristics of the soil and saturate the earth with useful substances. Also, after rice, you can plant vetch, peas, buckwheat and rapeseed.
Distribution area
Rice is widely used in South America, Indonesia, China, India, Vietnam. This cereal grows best in tropical climates, but it can also be found in the subtropics.In Russia, the culture is cultivated in the Primorsky and Krasnodar Territories. She is also found in Kalmykia, Rostov and Astrakhan regions.
Rice in different countries
Despite the fact that Asia is the birthplace of culture, it grows in various countries of the world:
- China - here rice is grown in fields flooded with water. First, the seeds are planted in a special greenhouse. Moreover, the soil in it is a mixture of water and mud. Under such conditions, the most resistant crops survive. After the seedlings reach 10 centimeters, the sprouts are thrown into the water. When their size reaches 50 centimeters, flowering will begin. During this period grains are formed. After harvesting, the grains are laid out on the road and dried, and then taken to the warehouse.
- Russia - in this country, culture begins to grow in May. First, the soil must be carefully watered. After the sprouts reach a height of 15-20 centimeters, the fields are flooded with water. In this case, the upper parts of the sprouts should be above the water.The fields must be drained 15-20 days before harvest.
- India - here rice is first germinated for 1-2 months. After that, the grains are placed in soil with water. Before harvesting or weeding, the water must be drained. It is necessary to harvest after the leaves turn yellow. Rice can be harvested from 1 field 2-4 times during the year.
- Thailand - in this case, the grains are thrown into the prepared soil and wait for the sprouts to appear. Then they need to be collected and planted evenly. It takes 30 days to grow cereal. During the harvest, the rice is cut and beaten into a separate container. After that, it needs to be cleaned of debris, sanded or steamed.
- Italy - in this country, the soil is first prepared by pouring water. After that, landing work is carried out. After a week, the fields are drained so that the grains take root. Then the soil is again filled with 10 centimeters of water and they try to maintain this regime. Harvest begins to be harvested when the stems reach 1.5 meters. After that, the grains need to be dried and packaged.
Growing method
There are several ways to grow this cereal:
- Dry valley - used in regions with rare precipitation, low-lying swampy terrain and warm summers.
- Irrigated - is considered the most in demand. At the same time, the fields are specially flooded. To do this, dug ditches are filled with water. 2 weeks before harvest, it is lowered to slightly dry the soil.
- Limanny - is considered an ineffective option. It is used only in some southern and eastern regions of Asia. In this case, the crop is grown in river bays and in areas with floods.
Why water is important to him
Rice thrives normally in normal soil, but growing in water helps increase its yield. This is due to the fact that weeds cannot grow in such conditions.Thanks to this, it is possible to save more space for he althy cereals. In addition, the culture receives many nutrients from the water.
Yield
On average, 60 centners of rice can be obtained from 1 hectare of plantings. The maximum yield of this crop reaches 150 centners. Specific parameters depend on what plants were grown on the site before.
Features of collecting from rice fields
Before harvesting, the fields must be drained so that the equipment can move over them and not get stuck in the mud. It is required to collect rice in stages, since the grains ripen unevenly. Immediately after harvesting, the seeds must be dried and cleaned.
How to grow rice yourself
It is quite possible to grow rice on your own. However, for this it is important to choose the right variety and follow the recommendations for agricultural technology.
Choice variety
In Russia, rice began to be cultivated in the thirties of the last century.Initially, varieties such as Start and Spalchik were used. Their yield was 7 tons per 1 hectare. Then they began to plant varieties such as Zhemchuzhina and Solnechny. Pendant, Slavyanets, Revel are also actively cultivated.
Lyman variety is considered resistant to lodging. The vegetation period is 100 days, and the yield parameters reach 5 tons per 1 hectare. Rapan is considered another mid-season variety. Its maturation occurs in 120 days. Red, Regulus, Amber grow well in poor soil.
Preparing the site
Under natural conditions, cereal grows in swampy areas. Therefore, when choosing a place, it is important to provide the culture with the required level of humidity. For personal consumption, cereals can be grown in boxes. Given the long growing season, the crop should be planted through seedlings.
Landing
To grow a crop from seeds, you need to prepare wide containers. It is better to take seeds of one variety. They need to be filled with water and left overnight. Thanks to this, it is possible to reduce the content of substances that interfere with germination.
To make it easier to care for rice, it is recommended to make rows and beds. The soil must be cleared of weeds and watered abundantly. Then the seeds need to be buried in the soil and warp to moisten it. The interval between seeds should be 10 centimeters, and between the beds - 30.
Care
The complexity of care lies in the fact that the soil needs to be constantly moistened. It is important to avoid drying it out. Mulch or compost will help simplify the task. In a week, you should expect the appearance of the first shoots. During the entire ripening period, the seedlings must be in the water.
Collecting ripe rice
Rice ripening takes 3-4 months. Let the water dry before harvesting. After a couple of weeks, the cereal can be harvested. In this case, the grains should dry and turn yellow. The stems must be cut directly below the spikelets and stored in a dry and well-ventilated area.After 2-4 weeks, the rice should be dried in the oven and peeled.
Rice cultivation is quite an interesting process. At the same time, it is important to take into account that this is a very moisture-loving culture, which requires strict adherence to the rules of agricultural technology.