Method of Rice Cultivation and Uses
Rice
Cultivation: In case of rice cultivation following steps are done sequentially:
Raising of seedlings.
Land preparation.
Transplanting and spacing.
Manuring.
Hoeing and weeding.
Irrigation.
1) Raising of seedling: There are generally two methods of preparation:
a) Wet method: The land ploughed in dry condition and reploughed in standing water and the surface is leveled by ladder. Green manure or compost can be applied at the rate of 5 to 8 tons per hectare (ha).
b) Dry method: It is adopted where water supply is not assure. In this case, the land is proud and reploud throughly and surface is leveled by laddering. Green manure or compost can be applied. Then, compost and fertilizers are applied now seeds are spread on the field again and again laddered for covering the seeds. The soil is moistened with water.
2) Land preparation: In dry cases the land is ploud and replaud immediately when rains are available. Weeds are collected and burnt on the field. Manures are added well.
In case of wet method the land is first irrigated about a month before sowing and proud in standing water. In this case, 150 gm super phosphate per hectar(ha) and green manure should be applied.
3) Transplanting and spacing: In kharif, the seedlings are ready for transplanting in 20-25 days when seedlings attain optimum age, they are pulled out with care so that no damage is run to the roots. 2-3 seeds are planted at a spacing of 20 \times 10\text{ cm}.
4) Manuring: Chemical fertilizer and organic manure are equally important. Nitrogen is the best manure for rice.
5) Hoeing and weeding: Several weeds grown in the field are removed after 30 days of transplantation. The removal may be done by hand or by rotary weeder. Harvisid 2,4-D and propanil can be used for controlling weeds in the rice field.
6) Irrigation: In the field water is allowed to stand to a depth of 2-2.5 cm. After these about 5 cm of water is maintained in the field. Water is necessary for:
i) Tillering phase.
ii) Growth phase.
iii) Developmental phase.
Processing
Processing is done as follows:
i) Harvesting.
ii) Threshing.
iii) Storage.
iv) Milling.
i) Harvesting: The crop is harvested when the colour of the straw is still slightly green and the panicles are turned down and are yellowish in colour.
ii) Threshing: Crop is cut with sickle or by self-propelled thresher, then dried in the field for few days, move to the threshing yard for a week. Now, manually by hand or power thresher.
iii) Storage: Paddy is dried and stored in jute bag.
iv) Milling: The husk is removed by machine.
Uses:
i) It is chiefly used as food.
ii) Various cook preparation as boiled rice, pulao, fermented preparation like idly, dhosa etc.
iii) Rice flour used in confectionary, ice cream, pastry.
iv) Rice starch used in cosmetic industry and for making dextrins, glucose and adhesives.
v) The husk used as cattle feed.vi) Rice bran oil used as edible oil and preparation of banaspati, making soaps and in textile industry, leather industry etc.
