All about rice: what rice is and how it appeared, interesting facts about a plant from distant countries
Rice is the most valuable food product for a large part of the world's population. It is consumed daily as a staple food in Asian, Arab and African countries. Now there are more than 10,000 varieties of this plant, 5,000 of which are classified as cultivated. Where did rice come from, whether it is a cereal or not, you will find out from the article.
Distribution history
Rice is of Asian origin, its homeland is the territory of what is now Yunnan Province.. Later, cultivation of this crop began in northern Vietnam, northeast India and Thailand. This was about 7000 years ago.
In other Asian countries, the plant spread rather slowly. Regular cultivation of this crop in Malaysia, Indonesia and Indochina began only 2,500 years ago. The plant adapted well to different climatic zones. It has taken root in the northern part of China and Japan, where it is relatively cold.
The plant came to the European part of the continent thanks to Alexander the Great. He first tried it during military campaigns in Asia, after which he brought the seeds with him. There is some evidence that this crop was cultivated on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea around 600 BC. e. In Greece and Rome, rice was known already in the 3rd century BC. e., but then this plant was not grown en masse, but was treated as exotic.
In the 13th century There was a plague in southern Europe. After it, several rice fields were sown. It was round grain type, which does not require abundant watering or any special care. Thanks to these qualities, the culture gradually took root. They began to grow it in the southern part of France, Italy, and Spain. At the same time, they began to sow fields in the territories of present-day Albania, Greece and Bulgaria.
The Duke of Savoy mentioned rice in his notes dating back to 1300. Documentary evidence of the spread of this plant includes a private letter from the 15th century, written by the Duke of Milan. By the 16th century All around Milan there were rice fields. In the 18th century, grains became a common food for Europeans. Even then, the famous rice pudding was widespread.
In Russia, this culture has been known since pagan times due to the fact that trade routes from Asia to Europe passed nearby.. But massively rice began to be grown only by the 15th century. on the territory of present-day Hungary and Ukraine. Then it was called Saracen wheat. In the Slavic territories, the name “Sorochinsky millet” took root, which was used until the end of the 19th century.
Imported rice became insufficient during Soviet times, so fields in the Krasnodar and Stavropol territories began to be sown with it. There were also small areas for planting in the Rostov and Astrakhan regions. Round rice grows in these regions, which is capable of producing a normal harvest in a fairly cold climate.
What is rice
Rice is an agricultural crop that is now cultivated in many countries around the world. This is a nutritious product that does not require special growing conditions.
The modern name in Russia arose only in the 1870s. It is a derivative of the English word rice. Previously, the cereal was called “Saracen wheat”, “Saracen grain” and “Sorochinsky millet”.
Rice family
Rice is classified as a cereal crop. It grows well in tropical and subtropical climates as an annual plant. It is also cultivated in warm temperate regions.
The crop is grown on an industrial scale in Australia, America, African countries and Asia.
What culture is this
Rice is a food product that is produced from seeds. As an agricultural crop, this plant performs best in warm and hot climates. In African countries I also grow naked or African rice. There, wild varieties are also used for food: point and short-tongued.
Cereals obtained from the plant contain a lot of carbohydrates (about 70%) and relatively little protein (no more than 12%). The ash contains a large amount of phosphoric acid, so the plant is used not only in the food industry, but also in the woodworking industry.
What is the root system
Rice has fibrous roots. They reach a depth of up to 20 cm, in some cases up to 30 cm. Unlike other plants, the roots of rice contain aerenchyma. This is the name given to fabric with cavities designed to conduct air.
When the field is flooded, the root system is not able to receive oxygen from the soil. Air penetrates through the stomata of the leaves into the stems, from where it enters the aerenchyma of the roots. This is how oxygen is supplied not only to the root, but to the soil around the plant.
The root system consists of:
- main root – embedded in the grain;
- accessory - develop during plant growth.
The root in the grain makes a gap between the flower scales, making its way out. At the top of the main root, second-order roots and adventitious shoots are formed.They are required by the plant to provide it with water and nutrients during growth.
One plant has about 200 roots. Their most active formation occurs during the phase of spawning and exiting into the tube. During rapid growth, root hairs last approximately 3-5 days.
What does an ear look like?
Rice ears are green or yellow. They are mounted on legs and located close to each other. Their length varies from 2 to 15 mm. They look like unripe wheat.
The spikelet joint is the place where the spikelet is attached to the stalk. The shedding of the crop depends on its structure.
In the photo - fig.
What does the rice we eat come from?
Rice is grown in the fields. After that, it is used to make cereal, which is sold in stores. But also recently they began to produce an artificial product. It is slightly different from the natural one.
Natural
Natural rice is a product that is obtained by growing in very moist soil. The seeds are used for food, and the herbaceous part is used as feed or animal bedding.
The average yield of this crop is approximately 6 tons per hectare. In Asian countries, the crop is harvested 3-4 times a year.
During plant growth, make sure that the temperature of water and air does not drop too much. When the temperature drops sharply, some of the water is drained from the field. Thanks to this, the sun begins to warm the soil.
Harvesting begins when the grain turns white and the stem turns completely yellow. The plant is cut or pulled out and then dried for about 3 days. Then they are threshed.
After this, the rice is cleaned of various impurities, the film is separated and polished. From 100 kg of unrefined grain, only 74 kg of pure grain is obtained. The rest is sent to waste.
Artificial
Artificial rice is made in China. There is a myth that this product is made from plastic; supposedly the Chinese themselves do not eat this, but sell it cheaply to other countries. But information about plastic rice has been refuted many times. In addition, artificial cereals are often more expensive than natural ones.
Such a product is produced on an extruder from several components. There is ordinary rice of different varieties and potato starch. Quite often, cereals are enriched with vitamins and other useful substances. Sometimes other crops are added.
Artificial rice takes away the disadvantages of natural rice and gives it new advantages. At the initial stage, all raw materials are crushed and mixed. After this, the resulting mass is processed many times. The output is in the form of grains of rice, only it becomes tastier and healthier.
Interesting facts about rice
Rice has a long history. It is grown on all continents except Antarctica.
The most interesting facts about the plant:
- The culture is so moisture-loving that it grows directly in water. Fields intended for rice are specially flooded, turning them into swamps. Water is released only during harvesting. Thanks to this, the plantings are protected from the sun and weeds.
- The stems of this plant can grow up to 1.5 m in height.
- Rice is one of the most ancient crops cultivated by man. Its history goes back thousands of years.
- In its homeland, China, rice was considered an essential product.
- Not only cereals are obtained from plant seeds. Oil is also produced starch and flour. It is not suitable for making bread. Most of it is sent to cosmetic factories, where it is made into powder.
- Rice is used to produce alcohol, wine, sake and other alcoholic beverages.
- For confectionery products, puffed rice is most often used, which is similar in structure to popcorn.
- Straw is used in the manufacture of cardboard and paper.
- Arruza is a measure of weight that is still used in Arab countries. It is equal to 1 grain of rice.
- Rice feeds most of the world's population, so this crop is considered the most important among other agricultural plants.
- Many people, when cooking rice, use 1 tbsp. cereals add 2 tbsp. water. But studies have shown that this method of cooking can lead to heart disease and diabetes. Pesticides in the soil and harmful emissions into the atmosphere lead to arsenic appearing in rice. To remove it from cereals, it is recommended to soak the grains in water overnight, drain it in the morning, and only then start cooking.
- In Asian countries, a large amount of rice in the house indicates wealth. Because of this, the tradition of showering the newlyweds with grains arose.
- 15% of the planet's inhabitants are involved in the cultivation of this crop.
This is interesting:
Be careful, gluten: is it found in rice?
What is the difference between jasmine and basmati rice: differences in appearance, taste and use
Conclusion
Rice is a cultivated plant from distant countries. This unique product is used in all corners of the planet. Most people on Earth eat it daily. But it has found application in other industries. This plant is used to make ropes, cardboard, baskets and much more.
IN husk contains many useful microelements, so it is often given to livestock. Today, without rice, it would be impossible to feed humanity.