The rice plant can grow to over 1 m (3 ft) tall; if in deep water, it can reach a length of 5 m (16 ft). A single plant may have several leafy stems or tillers. The upright stem is jointed with nodes along its length; a long slender leaf … See more

Phylogeny
The edible rice species are members of the BOP clade within the grass family, the Poaceae. … See more

Eating qualities
Rice is a commonly-eaten food around the world. The varieties of rice are typically classified as short-, medium-, and long-grained. Oryza sativa … See more

Pests and weeds
Rice yield can be reduced by weed growth, and a wide variety of pests including insects, nematodes, rodents such as rats, snails, and birds. Major rice insect pests include armyworms, rice bugs, See more

Growing
Like all crops, rice depends for its growth on both biotic and abiotic environmental factors. The principal biotic factors are crop variety, pests, and plant diseases. Abiotic factors include the soil type, whether lowland or … See more

Production
In 2021, world production of rice was 787 million tonnes, led by China and India with a combined 52% of the total. This placed rice fourth in the list of crops by production, after sugarcane, maize, and wheat See more

Greenhouse gases from rice production
In 2022, greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation were estimated at 5.7 billion tonnes CO2eq, representing 1.2% of total emissions. Within the agriculture sector, rice produces almost half the greenhouse gas … See more