Industry
Fact-checked

At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

What Is a Rice Crop?

Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis

A rice crop is a type of cereal grain intentionally grown and harvested for human consumption. The growth of rice crops is one of the oldest known forms of agriculture, thought to date back to around 8000 BCE. Depending on the availability of water, rice crops may be wet-cultivated or dry-grown. Despite being a major food staple for much of the word, the growth, harvest, and processing of a rice crop remains a complicated process, both labor and resource intensive.

For thousands of years, Oryza sativa, or Asian rice, grew wild throughout much of the Asian subcontinent. Historians estimate that, while wild-grown rice was a major part of the Asian diet for thousands of years, it did not become a widely cultivated crop until somewhere between 8000-6000 BCE, though some studies have suggested a far earlier date. In Africa, a related grain, known as Oryza glabberrima, also became a cultivated crop around 1,000 BCE. As a domesticated crop, rice quickly became a central staple grain for cultures around the world, a tradition that continues in the modern era.

A rice plant.
A rice plant.

The life cycle of a rice crop includes several important steps, namely cultivation, harvesting, and processing. In irrigated areas or on flood plains, the rice field is flooded with shallow water, then rice seedlings are planted, either by hand or spread by small, low-flying airplanes. In areas with less water, rice may be simply planted in dry ground, much like other cereal grain crops. The maturation of a rice crop takes four or five months, depending on the climate and growing method.

A bowl of rice.
A bowl of rice.

The harvest of a rice crop is often a difficult process, as the rice grains are quite delicate. In wet-cultivated paddies, the fields must be drained before harvesting can begin. Rice may be harvested by hand, but is often done by machine in larger fields, using specialized equipment that can separate the grains from the stalk without harming the rice. The yield of a harvest may vary throughout the year; in wet-grown rice, yields are often best during rainy periods of the year.

Uncooked rice.
Uncooked rice.

Once harvested, a rice crop must be processed for human use. Most rice goes through an initial milling process in which the husk is removed from the grain. Rice without the husk is known as brown rice, since it retains the tan-colored bran layer. Brown rice may be milled again, removing the bran and leaving only the central, milk-colored grain known as white rice. Both brown and white rice may go through further processing to create syrup, oil, or powder.

Brown rice.
Brown rice.

The uses of a rice crop are nearly endless. As a food, white or brown rice may be sold as is, turned into cereal, or processed into rice flour or rice syrup. Rice can be processed into a starchy powder that may be used in cosmetics as a stabilizing agent. Even the discarded husk of the rice grains can be used in the creation of biofuels, and as a component in paper and insulation materials.

Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis

With a B.A. in theater from UCLA and a graduate degree in screenwriting from the American Film Institute, Jessica is passionate about drama and film. She has many other interests, and enjoys learning and writing about a wide range of topics in her role as a WiseGEEK writer.

Learn more...
Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis

With a B.A. in theater from UCLA and a graduate degree in screenwriting from the American Film Institute, Jessica is passionate about drama and film. She has many other interests, and enjoys learning and writing about a wide range of topics in her role as a WiseGEEK writer.

Learn more...

Discuss this Article

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • A rice plant.
      A rice plant.
    • A bowl of rice.
      A bowl of rice.
    • Uncooked rice.
      By: airborne77
      Uncooked rice.
    • Brown rice.
      By: airborne77
      Brown rice.
    • Black rice.
      By: Marek
      Black rice.
    • Different types of rice.
      By: Elena Schweitzer
      Different types of rice.
    • In wet-cultivated paddies, fields must be drained before the rice can be harvested.
      By: kamonrat
      In wet-cultivated paddies, fields must be drained before the rice can be harvested.
    • Rice husks are used to make paper in many countries.
      By: michaklootwijk
      Rice husks are used to make paper in many countries.
    • Wild rice has been a part of the diet in Asian countries for thousands of years.
      By: Kondor83
      Wild rice has been a part of the diet in Asian countries for thousands of years.