Rice

Oryza sativa L.

What is Rice?Rice is India's number one food crop. It is grown on about 44.6 million hectares, which is nearly one-fourth of all farmland in India. More than half of the people in India depend on rice as their main food, especially in southern and eastern states. India is the second-largest producer of rice in the world, after China. Rice farming is an important part of our culture and provides income to millions of farming families.The rice plant has thin, spreading roots and can grow up to 6 feet tall. Its stems are round and jointed, and the leaves are long and pointed. The grains we eat grow on stalks at the top of the plant. In India, there are more than 333 types of rice. Some are fragrant Basmati varieties with long grains, while others are regular (non-Basmati) types. Every part of the rice plant is useful. The grain is used for food, the bran is used to make oil, and the husk and straw are used as animal feed. Rice waste is also used to make eco-friendly products like paper and packaging.

Cereals & Grains “Kharif (main), Rabi, Zaid”

Overview

Crop summary and key facts

What is Rice?

Rice is India's number one food crop. It is grown on about 44.6 million hectares, which is nearly one-fourth of all farmland in India. More than half of the people in India depend on rice as their main food, especially in southern and eastern states. India is the second-largest producer of rice in the world, after China. Rice farming is an important part of our culture and provides income to millions of farming families.

The rice plant has thin, spreading roots and can grow up to 6 feet tall. Its stems are round and jointed, and the leaves are long and pointed. The grains we eat grow on stalks at the top of the plant. In India, there are more than 333 types of rice. Some are fragrant Basmati varieties with long grains, while others are regular (non-Basmati) types. Every part of the rice plant is useful. The grain is used for food, the bran is used to make oil, and the husk and straw are used as animal feed. Rice waste is also used to make eco-friendly products like paper and packaging.

Key Information

Scientific Name

Oryza sativa L.

Soil & Climate

Optimal environmental conditions

Soil Requirements

🌱 Suitable Soils

Heavy clay soil
Clay loam
Sandy loam
Silty loam

⭐ Ideal Soil

Heavy clay soil that holds water well and is rich in organic matter (like compost or manure).

⚖️ Soil pH (Acidity)

Can grow in pH 5.0 to 9.5
Best range: 6.0 to 7.0

✅ What Makes Good Soil

Good water-holding capacity (does not drain too quickly)
No salinity (salt) problems
Forms a soft puddle when water is added
Rich in nutrients

🌾 Other Suitable Soils

Black soil
Red soil
Laterite soil

💡 Simple Tip

Clay soil that forms good mud puddles is best for rice farming.

Climate Requirements

🌡️ Temperature

Normal range: 16–30°C
During planting: 20–30°C
During growth: 20–40°C (best: 25–35°C)
During harvesting: 16–27°C

🌧️ Rainfall

Requires 100–200 cm rainfall per year
Rainfall should be evenly distributed throughout the season

💧 Humidity

Prefers humid conditions: 70–80%

🌍 Altitude Range

Grows from sea level up to 3000 meters altitude

❤️ What Rice Loves

Warm to hot temperatures
High humidity
Plenty of water (rainfall or irrigation)

Season

“Kharif (main), Rabi, Zaid”

Varieties

Recommended seeds and cultivars

Pusa Basmati 1121

Basmati (Fragrant Rice)

Yield Potential

18-22 quintals

Maturity

140-145

Pusa Basmati 1509

Basmati (Fragrant Rice)

Yield Potential

20-24 quintals

Maturity

120-125

Pusa Basmati 1637

Basmati (Fragrant Rice)

Yield Potential

22-26 quintals

Maturity

125-130

Seed & Planting

Sowing rates, spacing, and methods

🌱 How Much Seed

Basmati / Fine varieties: 8–10 kg per acre (Transplanting)
Coarse / General varieties: 12–15 kg per acre (Transplanting)
Hybrid varieties: 5–6 kg per acre (Transplanting)
Direct Seeding (DSR): 20–25 kg per acre
Germination rate: At least 80% seeds should sprout

💊 Treating Seeds

Choose one method to protect against diseases:

Type	Medicine	Amount	Method
Chemical	Carbendazim 50% WP	2 gm/kg seed	Soak 8–24 hrs
Anti-bacterial	Streptocycline	0.1 gm/kg	Mix with above
Organic	Trichoderma viride	10 gm/kg	Slurry coating

⚙️ How to Do It

Step 1: Salt Water Test
Dissolve 1 kg salt in 10 L water. Add seeds, remove floating seeds, and wash remaining seeds with clean water.
Step 2: Soaking
Soak seeds in prepared solution (Carbendazim + Streptocycline) for 8–24 hours.
Step 3: Incubation
Keep seeds in a wet gunny bag for 24–36 hours until sprouting begins.
Step 4: Sowing
Shade-dry seeds briefly before sowing in nursery or main field.

Cultivation

Field preparation and agronomy

Cultivation

🌾 Getting Your Field Ready

1️⃣ 🌱 Green Manuring (Saves Money!)

Grow these crops and plow them back into soil:

Dhaincha: 20 kg/acre
Sunhemp: 20 kg/acre
Cowpea: 12 kg/acre

Plow after 6–8 weeks (1 day before transplanting). Saves about 25 kg nitrogen per acre.

2️⃣ 🚜 Plowing

First plowing: In dry soil
Second plowing: With water (to identify uneven areas)

3️⃣ 📏 Leveling

Use laser land leveler if available
Saves up to 10% water
Ensures uniform water distribution

4️⃣ 💧 Puddling

Add 5–10 cm standing water
Mix soil and water to form soft mud
Helps reduce water loss

Important step for transplanted rice cultivation.

5️⃣ 🧱 Build Bunds

Create bunds (mud walls) 20–30 cm high
Repair cracks and rat holes
Make channels for proper water control

Stages

Crop growth timeline and key tasks

🌱 Baby Plant

Days: 0–21 days
Duration: About 3 weeks
What’s Happening: Seeds germinate, roots develop, and first leaves appear

Recommended Practices

Make nursery, keep moist, add Urea after 2 weeks

🌱 Making Shoots

Days: 22–60 days
Duration: 4–6 weeks
What’s Happening: Plant grows, produces side shoots (tillering), and is transplanted

Recommended Practices

Transplant to main field, apply first fertilizer (day 21–25), remove weeds, maintain 5–7 cm water level

🌾 Growing Tall & Flower Buds

Days: 60–80 days
Duration: 2–3 weeks
What’s Happening: Stem elongates and flower buds form internally (critical stage for yield)

Recommended Practices

Apply second fertilizer (day 45–50), maintain 5–10 cm water, avoid drying, monitor pests

🌼 Flowering

Days: 80–100 days
Duration: 2–3 weeks
What’s Happening: Flowers open and pollination occurs, grains begin forming

Recommended Practices

Maintain 5–8 cm water (very critical), protect from pests, avoid spraying during flowering

🌾 Grains Getting Ready

Days: 100–145 days
Duration: 4–6 weeks
What’s Happening: Grains fill, harden, and mature for harvest

Recommended Practices

Keep soil moist, drain water 10–14 days before harvest, protect from birds, prepare for harvesting

Nutrition

Fertilizers and deficiency remedies

Fertilizer Schedule

NPK & micronutrient application

🌱 Nutrient Requirements (Per Acre)

Nutrient	Requirement	Fertilizer to Buy
Nitrogen (N)	50 kg	Urea: 110 kg
Phosphorus (P)	12 kg	DAP: 27 kg OR SSP: 75 kg
Potassium (K)	12 kg	MOP: 20 kg
Zinc	10 kg	Zinc Sulphate (21%): 25 kg

⏱️ Recommended Fertilizer Schedule

Stage	Fertilizer Combination	Quantity	Purpose
Basal Dose (Final Puddling)	Urea + DAP + MOP + Zinc*	Urea: 37kg, DAP: 27kg, MOP: 10kg, Zinc: 25kg	Root growth and early vigor.
Tillering Stage (21–25 Days)	Urea	37 kg	Increases number of shoots (tillers).
Panicle Initiation (45–50 Days)	Urea + MOP (Remaining)	Urea: 36kg, MOP: 10kg	Improves grain weight and stem strength.

*Warning: Do not mix Zinc Sulphate and DAP directly. Apply them separately to avoid nutrient lock-up.

🔄 NPK Complex Options

Option A: NPK 20:20:0 (60 kg) + Urea (65 kg split into 3 doses).
Option B: NPK 12:32:16 (50 kg) + Urea (80 kg split into 3 doses).

⚠️ Micronutrient Deficiency Guide

Problem	Symptoms	Solution
Zinc (Khaira Disease)	Rusty brown spots on leaves; stunted plant.	Spray 0.5% Zinc Sulphate + 0.25% Lime solution.
Iron Deficiency	New leaves turn pale yellow or white.	Spray 1% Ferrous Sulphate (1kg in 100L water).

💡 Money-Saving Tips

Soil Testing: Only apply what your soil lacks. This can save up to ₹2000 per acre.
Neem Coated Urea: Always use Neem Coated Urea as it releases nitrogen slowly and reduces leaching.
Green Manure: Sowing Dhaincha or Sunhemp before rice and plowing it in can replace 25-30kg of Nitrogen.
Leaf Color Chart (LCC): Use an LCC to decide if the plant actually needs Urea, preventing over-fertilization.

Stage	Fertilizer Type	Quantity
Before Final Puddling	Urea + DAP + MOP + Zinc Sulphate	37 kg Urea + 27 kg DAP + 20 kg MOP + 25 kg Zinc (if needed)
21-25 Days After Planting	Urea	37 kg
45-50 Days After Planting	Urea	36 kg

Nutrient Deficiencies & Remedies

Zink Deficiency (Khaira Disease)

Iron Deficiency

Nitrogen Deficiency

Phosphorus Deficiency

Potassium Deficiency

Sulfur Deficiency

Irrigation

Water requirements and scheduling

Irrigation Schedule

Water & Irrigation Requirements

💧 Total Water Needed

About 1500 liters of water is needed to produce 1 kg of rice.

🌱 Critical Watering Times

Stage	Days	Water Depth	Importance	What to Do
Just Planted	0–15	2–5 cm	Very Important	Keep water all the time
Making New Shoots	15–40	5–7 cm	Very Important	Keep water standing
Most Shoots	40–60	5–10 cm	Important	Don't let water dry
Flower Buds Forming	60–75	5–10 cm	MOST IMPORTANT	Never let water run out
Flowering	75–90	5–8 cm	MOST IMPORTANT	Must have water always
Grains Filling	90–110	3–5 cm	Important	Keep moist
Almost Ready	110–120	0 cm	-	Drain 10–14 days before cutting

⚠️ Most Critical Times

Just after planting (0–15 days)
Making new shoots (15–40 days)
Flower buds forming (60–75 days) – Highest priority
Flowering (75–90 days) – Highest priority
Grains filling (90–110 days)

💡 Simple Tips

Maintain 5–10 cm water during key stages
Drain occasionally to control pests (avoid during critical stages)
Avoid repeated drying and flooding during flower bud stage
Stop irrigation 10–14 days before harvest

Pests & Diseases

Identification, damage, and control

Pests

Brown Plant Hopper (Small jumping insects)

⚠️ Hopper burn: Round patches of field turn brown and dry Plants turn yellow → brown → then die Sticky honeydew on leaves leading to black mold growth Severe wilting of plants Damage appears in patches across the field

Brown Plant Hopper is a small brown insect that sucks sap from rice plants, mainly at the lower stem near the base.

Severity: Extremely dangerous pest. If not controlled, it can destroy the entire crop within 1–2 weeks.

Stem Borer (Worm that eats inside stem)

⚠️ Dead heart: Central shoot dries and dies in early stage White ear: Empty grain heads turn white at later stage Small holes visible on stem Worm excreta (waste) seen outside holes Inner stem tissue is damaged when cut open

Stem Borer is a caterpillar pest that enters and feeds inside the rice stem, damaging the plant from within.

Severity: A highly damaging pest that can cause 20–80% yield loss if not controlled in time.

Leaf Folder (Caterpillar that rolls leaves)

⚠️ Leaves folded and tied with silky threads White or transparent streaks on leaves Reduced green leaf area Many folded leaves hanging down Caterpillar feeds from inside folded leaves

Leaf Folder is a green caterpillar that folds rice leaves and feeds from inside, reducing the plant’s ability to make food.

Severity: Medium to high damage. Can reduce yield by 20–40% if not controlled.

Diseases

Blast (Fungus that makes spots)

🦠 On Leaves: Diamond-shaped spots with grey center and brown edges On Neck (Panicle): Infection at grain stalk leading to total grain loss Grain heads bend or fall over On Joints: Joints turn black and may break Grains become empty

Blast is a serious fungal disease of rice that affects leaves, stems, and grain neck, leading to heavy yield loss.

Severity: Very severe disease. If not controlled early, it can destroy the entire crop.

Bacterial Leaf Blight (Bacteria sickness)

🦠 Water-soaked lesions on leaf edges turning yellow then white Kresek: Sudden wilting and drying of young plants Wavy or irregular leaf margins Lesions extend along entire leaf length Yellowish droplets seen on leaves in early morning Milky bacterial ooze when leaf is cut and pressed

Bacterial Leaf Blight is a serious bacterial disease of rice that affects leaves and can spread quickly under favorable conditions.

Severity: Severe disease that can cause 20–80% yield loss if not controlled in time.

Sheath Blight (Fungus on leaf covering)

🦠 Grey-green oval spots on leaf sheath near water level Spots have dark brown edges with grey-white center Lesions enlarge and merge together Disease spreads upward from lower plant parts Severely infected plants may fall (lodging) Small dark grain-like structures appear on infected areas Grains become discolored and may remain empty

Sheath Blight is a fungal disease that starts from the soil and attacks the leaf sheath (base of the plant near water level).

Severity: Moderate to severe disease causing 20–50% yield loss under favorable conditions.

Weeds

Common Weed: Barnyard Grass (Echinochloa)

Weeds compete with rice for nutrients, sunlight, and water. Effective management in the first 30–45 days is critical for a high yield.

Common Weed: Barnyard Grass (Echinochloa)

Feature	Details
Local Names	Sawa, Jhadua, or Ghoincha.
Description	It is a "mimic weed" because it looks exactly like a young rice plant. It has reddish-purple tinting at the base and lacks the 'ligule' (a small papery flap) found on rice stems. It grows faster than rice and can steal 60% of the soil's nitrogen.
Impact	Highly dangerous; can cause total crop failure if dense.

Harvesting

Yield estimates and post-harvest care

Harvesting

⏱️ Timing

Fast-growing types: 25–30 days after flowering
Slow-growing types: 35–40 days after flowering
Grain moisture at harvest: 20–25%

🌟 Signs Crop is Ready

About 80% of grains turn golden yellow
Panicles (grain heads) bend downward
Grains are hard and detach easily

🚫 Before Harvest

Stop irrigation 10–14 days before harvest
Allow field to dry for easy harvesting

✂️ Harvesting Methods

By Hand:

Use a sickle to cut plants
Suitable for small farms
Labor-intensive but careful harvesting

By Machine:

Use a combine harvester
Fast and efficient for large farms
Reduces grain loss

🌾 Threshing (Removing Grains)

Do within 24–48 hours after harvesting
Can be done by hand beating
Use pedal (foot) threshers
Or use power-operated machines

Post-Harvest Handling

🧹 Step 1: Clean the Rice

Remove straw, husk, and dirt
Use wind (winnowing) or cleaning machine

☀️ Step 2: Dry the Rice

Reduce moisture from 25% to 12–14%
Dry slowly in shade (avoid strong sun)
Or spread on clean floor for 3–5 days
Proper drying prevents fungal growth

📦 Step 3: Store the Rice

Store in clean, dry, well-ventilated place
Use moisture-proof bags or containers
Mix neem powder (500 gm per 10 kg rice) to control insects
Spray Malathion (30 ml in 3 L water) per 100 m² every 15 days

⚙️ Step 4: Processing (Milling)

Remove outer husk → Brown rice
Polishing → White rice
By-products: Bran (used for oil), husk (used as fuel)

💡 Storage Tips

Check grain moisture regularly
Keep storage temperature below 30°C
Protect from rats and insects
Inspect grains frequently for pest damage

Gallery

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Important Notice

The crop information presented here is for general educational and informational purposes only. Farm conditions, soil profiles, and weather patterns vary significantly. Always consult qualified agricultural extension officers, local scientists, or professional agronomists before starting complex planting, crop protection, or fertilization programs.

Overview

Crop summary and key facts

What is Rice?

Key Information

Scientific Name

Oryza sativa L.

Soil & Climate

Optimal environmental conditions

Soil Requirements

🌱 Suitable Soils

Heavy clay soil
Clay loam
Sandy loam
Silty loam

⭐ Ideal Soil

Heavy clay soil that holds water well and is rich in organic matter (like compost or manure).

⚖️ Soil pH (Acidity)

Can grow in pH 5.0 to 9.5
Best range: 6.0 to 7.0

✅ What Makes Good Soil

Good water-holding capacity (does not drain too quickly)
No salinity (salt) problems
Forms a soft puddle when water is added
Rich in nutrients

🌾 Other Suitable Soils

Black soil
Red soil
Laterite soil

💡 Simple Tip

Clay soil that forms good mud puddles is best for rice farming.

Climate Requirements

🌡️ Temperature

Normal range: 16–30°C
During planting: 20–30°C
During growth: 20–40°C (best: 25–35°C)
During harvesting: 16–27°C

🌧️ Rainfall

Requires 100–200 cm rainfall per year
Rainfall should be evenly distributed throughout the season

💧 Humidity

Prefers humid conditions: 70–80%

🌍 Altitude Range

Grows from sea level up to 3000 meters altitude

❤️ What Rice Loves

Warm to hot temperatures
High humidity
Plenty of water (rainfall or irrigation)

Season

“Kharif (main), Rabi, Zaid”

Varieties

Recommended seeds and cultivars

Pusa Basmati 1121

Basmati (Fragrant Rice)

Yield Potential

18-22 quintals

Maturity

140-145

Pusa Basmati 1509

Basmati (Fragrant Rice)

Yield Potential

20-24 quintals

Maturity

120-125

Pusa Basmati 1637

Basmati (Fragrant Rice)

Yield Potential

22-26 quintals

Maturity

125-130

Seed & Planting

Sowing rates, spacing, and methods

🌱 How Much Seed

Basmati / Fine varieties: 8–10 kg per acre (Transplanting)
Coarse / General varieties: 12–15 kg per acre (Transplanting)
Hybrid varieties: 5–6 kg per acre (Transplanting)
Direct Seeding (DSR): 20–25 kg per acre
Germination rate: At least 80% seeds should sprout

💊 Treating Seeds

Choose one method to protect against diseases:

Type	Medicine	Amount	Method
Chemical	Carbendazim 50% WP	2 gm/kg seed	Soak 8–24 hrs
Anti-bacterial	Streptocycline	0.1 gm/kg	Mix with above
Organic	Trichoderma viride	10 gm/kg	Slurry coating

⚙️ How to Do It

Step 1: Salt Water Test
Dissolve 1 kg salt in 10 L water. Add seeds, remove floating seeds, and wash remaining seeds with clean water.
Step 2: Soaking
Soak seeds in prepared solution (Carbendazim + Streptocycline) for 8–24 hours.
Step 3: Incubation
Keep seeds in a wet gunny bag for 24–36 hours until sprouting begins.
Step 4: Sowing
Shade-dry seeds briefly before sowing in nursery or main field.

Cultivation

Field preparation and agronomy

Cultivation

🌾 Getting Your Field Ready

1️⃣ 🌱 Green Manuring (Saves Money!)

Grow these crops and plow them back into soil:

Dhaincha: 20 kg/acre
Sunhemp: 20 kg/acre
Cowpea: 12 kg/acre

Plow after 6–8 weeks (1 day before transplanting). Saves about 25 kg nitrogen per acre.

2️⃣ 🚜 Plowing

First plowing: In dry soil
Second plowing: With water (to identify uneven areas)

3️⃣ 📏 Leveling

Use laser land leveler if available
Saves up to 10% water
Ensures uniform water distribution

4️⃣ 💧 Puddling

Add 5–10 cm standing water
Mix soil and water to form soft mud
Helps reduce water loss

Important step for transplanted rice cultivation.

5️⃣ 🧱 Build Bunds

Create bunds (mud walls) 20–30 cm high
Repair cracks and rat holes
Make channels for proper water control

Stages

Crop growth timeline and key tasks

🌱 Baby Plant

Days: 0–21 days
Duration: About 3 weeks
What’s Happening: Seeds germinate, roots develop, and first leaves appear

Recommended Practices

Make nursery, keep moist, add Urea after 2 weeks

🌱 Making Shoots

Days: 22–60 days
Duration: 4–6 weeks
What’s Happening: Plant grows, produces side shoots (tillering), and is transplanted

Recommended Practices

Transplant to main field, apply first fertilizer (day 21–25), remove weeds, maintain 5–7 cm water level

🌾 Growing Tall & Flower Buds

Days: 60–80 days
Duration: 2–3 weeks
What’s Happening: Stem elongates and flower buds form internally (critical stage for yield)

Recommended Practices

Apply second fertilizer (day 45–50), maintain 5–10 cm water, avoid drying, monitor pests

🌼 Flowering

Days: 80–100 days
Duration: 2–3 weeks
What’s Happening: Flowers open and pollination occurs, grains begin forming

Recommended Practices

Maintain 5–8 cm water (very critical), protect from pests, avoid spraying during flowering

🌾 Grains Getting Ready

Days: 100–145 days
Duration: 4–6 weeks
What’s Happening: Grains fill, harden, and mature for harvest

Recommended Practices

Keep soil moist, drain water 10–14 days before harvest, protect from birds, prepare for harvesting

Nutrition

Fertilizers and deficiency remedies

Fertilizer Schedule

NPK & micronutrient application

🌱 Nutrient Requirements (Per Acre)

Nutrient	Requirement	Fertilizer to Buy
Nitrogen (N)	50 kg	Urea: 110 kg
Phosphorus (P)	12 kg	DAP: 27 kg OR SSP: 75 kg
Potassium (K)	12 kg	MOP: 20 kg
Zinc	10 kg	Zinc Sulphate (21%): 25 kg

⏱️ Recommended Fertilizer Schedule

Stage	Fertilizer Combination	Quantity	Purpose
Basal Dose (Final Puddling)	Urea + DAP + MOP + Zinc*	Urea: 37kg, DAP: 27kg, MOP: 10kg, Zinc: 25kg	Root growth and early vigor.
Tillering Stage (21–25 Days)	Urea	37 kg	Increases number of shoots (tillers).
Panicle Initiation (45–50 Days)	Urea + MOP (Remaining)	Urea: 36kg, MOP: 10kg	Improves grain weight and stem strength.

*Warning: Do not mix Zinc Sulphate and DAP directly. Apply them separately to avoid nutrient lock-up.

🔄 NPK Complex Options

Option A: NPK 20:20:0 (60 kg) + Urea (65 kg split into 3 doses).
Option B: NPK 12:32:16 (50 kg) + Urea (80 kg split into 3 doses).

⚠️ Micronutrient Deficiency Guide

Problem	Symptoms	Solution
Zinc (Khaira Disease)	Rusty brown spots on leaves; stunted plant.	Spray 0.5% Zinc Sulphate + 0.25% Lime solution.
Iron Deficiency	New leaves turn pale yellow or white.	Spray 1% Ferrous Sulphate (1kg in 100L water).

💡 Money-Saving Tips

Soil Testing: Only apply what your soil lacks. This can save up to ₹2000 per acre.
Neem Coated Urea: Always use Neem Coated Urea as it releases nitrogen slowly and reduces leaching.
Green Manure: Sowing Dhaincha or Sunhemp before rice and plowing it in can replace 25-30kg of Nitrogen.
Leaf Color Chart (LCC): Use an LCC to decide if the plant actually needs Urea, preventing over-fertilization.

Stage	Fertilizer Type	Quantity
Before Final Puddling	Urea + DAP + MOP + Zinc Sulphate	37 kg Urea + 27 kg DAP + 20 kg MOP + 25 kg Zinc (if needed)
21-25 Days After Planting	Urea	37 kg
45-50 Days After Planting	Urea	36 kg

Nutrient Deficiencies & Remedies

Zink Deficiency (Khaira Disease)

Iron Deficiency

Nitrogen Deficiency

Phosphorus Deficiency

Potassium Deficiency

Sulfur Deficiency

Irrigation

Water requirements and scheduling

Irrigation Schedule

Water & Irrigation Requirements

💧 Total Water Needed

About 1500 liters of water is needed to produce 1 kg of rice.

🌱 Critical Watering Times

Stage	Days	Water Depth	Importance	What to Do
Just Planted	0–15	2–5 cm	Very Important	Keep water all the time
Making New Shoots	15–40	5–7 cm	Very Important	Keep water standing
Most Shoots	40–60	5–10 cm	Important	Don't let water dry
Flower Buds Forming	60–75	5–10 cm	MOST IMPORTANT	Never let water run out
Flowering	75–90	5–8 cm	MOST IMPORTANT	Must have water always
Grains Filling	90–110	3–5 cm	Important	Keep moist
Almost Ready	110–120	0 cm	-	Drain 10–14 days before cutting

⚠️ Most Critical Times

Just after planting (0–15 days)
Making new shoots (15–40 days)
Flower buds forming (60–75 days) – Highest priority
Flowering (75–90 days) – Highest priority
Grains filling (90–110 days)

💡 Simple Tips

Maintain 5–10 cm water during key stages
Drain occasionally to control pests (avoid during critical stages)
Avoid repeated drying and flooding during flower bud stage
Stop irrigation 10–14 days before harvest

Pests & Diseases

Identification, damage, and control

Pests

Brown Plant Hopper (Small jumping insects)

Brown Plant Hopper is a small brown insect that sucks sap from rice plants, mainly at the lower stem near the base.

Severity: Extremely dangerous pest. If not controlled, it can destroy the entire crop within 1–2 weeks.

Stem Borer (Worm that eats inside stem)

Stem Borer is a caterpillar pest that enters and feeds inside the rice stem, damaging the plant from within.

Severity: A highly damaging pest that can cause 20–80% yield loss if not controlled in time.

Leaf Folder (Caterpillar that rolls leaves)

⚠️ Leaves folded and tied with silky threads White or transparent streaks on leaves Reduced green leaf area Many folded leaves hanging down Caterpillar feeds from inside folded leaves

Leaf Folder is a green caterpillar that folds rice leaves and feeds from inside, reducing the plant’s ability to make food.

Severity: Medium to high damage. Can reduce yield by 20–40% if not controlled.

Diseases

Blast (Fungus that makes spots)

Blast is a serious fungal disease of rice that affects leaves, stems, and grain neck, leading to heavy yield loss.

Severity: Very severe disease. If not controlled early, it can destroy the entire crop.

Bacterial Leaf Blight (Bacteria sickness)

Bacterial Leaf Blight is a serious bacterial disease of rice that affects leaves and can spread quickly under favorable conditions.

Severity: Severe disease that can cause 20–80% yield loss if not controlled in time.

Sheath Blight (Fungus on leaf covering)

Sheath Blight is a fungal disease that starts from the soil and attacks the leaf sheath (base of the plant near water level).

Severity: Moderate to severe disease causing 20–50% yield loss under favorable conditions.

Weeds

Common Weed: Barnyard Grass (Echinochloa)

Weeds compete with rice for nutrients, sunlight, and water. Effective management in the first 30–45 days is critical for a high yield.

Common Weed: Barnyard Grass (Echinochloa)

Feature	Details
Local Names	Sawa, Jhadua, or Ghoincha.
Description	It is a "mimic weed" because it looks exactly like a young rice plant. It has reddish-purple tinting at the base and lacks the 'ligule' (a small papery flap) found on rice stems. It grows faster than rice and can steal 60% of the soil's nitrogen.
Impact	Highly dangerous; can cause total crop failure if dense.

Harvesting

Yield estimates and post-harvest care

Harvesting

⏱️ Timing

Fast-growing types: 25–30 days after flowering
Slow-growing types: 35–40 days after flowering
Grain moisture at harvest: 20–25%

🌟 Signs Crop is Ready

About 80% of grains turn golden yellow
Panicles (grain heads) bend downward
Grains are hard and detach easily

🚫 Before Harvest

Stop irrigation 10–14 days before harvest
Allow field to dry for easy harvesting

✂️ Harvesting Methods

By Hand:

Use a sickle to cut plants
Suitable for small farms
Labor-intensive but careful harvesting

By Machine:

Use a combine harvester
Fast and efficient for large farms
Reduces grain loss

🌾 Threshing (Removing Grains)

Do within 24–48 hours after harvesting
Can be done by hand beating
Use pedal (foot) threshers
Or use power-operated machines

Post-Harvest Handling

🧹 Step 1: Clean the Rice

Remove straw, husk, and dirt
Use wind (winnowing) or cleaning machine

☀️ Step 2: Dry the Rice

Reduce moisture from 25% to 12–14%
Dry slowly in shade (avoid strong sun)
Or spread on clean floor for 3–5 days
Proper drying prevents fungal growth

📦 Step 3: Store the Rice

Store in clean, dry, well-ventilated place
Use moisture-proof bags or containers
Mix neem powder (500 gm per 10 kg rice) to control insects
Spray Malathion (30 ml in 3 L water) per 100 m² every 15 days

⚙️ Step 4: Processing (Milling)

Remove outer husk → Brown rice
Polishing → White rice
By-products: Bran (used for oil), husk (used as fuel)

💡 Storage Tips

Check grain moisture regularly
Keep storage temperature below 30°C
Protect from rats and insects
Inspect grains frequently for pest damage

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