Worldwide, around 79 million ha of rice is grown under irrigated conditions. While this is only half of the total rice area, it accounts for about 75% of the world's annual rice production. In Asia, nearly 60% of the 138 million hectares devoted to rice production annually is irrigated, where rice is often grown in monoculture with two to three crops a year depending upon water availability. Ot…
The rice plant usually takes 3–6 months from germination to maturity, depending on the variety and the environment under which it is grown. During this period, rice completes basically two distinct sequential growth stages: vegetative and reproductive. The reproductive stage is subdivided into preheading and postheading periods. The latter is better known as the ripening period. Yield capacit…