The Rice Genome Project

The Rice Genome Project

Rice is the main food for about one-third to one-half of the world's population. A mature rice plant is usually two to six feet tall. In the beginning, one shoot appears. It is followed by one, two, or more offshoots developing. There are at least five or six hollow joints for each stalk, and a leaf for each joint. The leaf of the rice plant is long, pointed, flat, and stiff. The highest join of the rice plant is called the panicle. The rice grains develop from the panicles. (Jodon, 300)

Rice is classified in the grass family Gramineae. Its genus is Oryza and species O. sativa. It is commonly cultivated for food in Asia. Some varieties of rice include red rice, glutinous rice, and wild rice. (Jodon, 303) The kernel within the grain contains most of the vitamins and minerals (298). The kernel contains thiamine, niacin, and riboflavin (299).

Rice has many enemies that destroy a majority of the rice crops. The larvae of moth, stem borers, live in the stems of the rice plants. Some insects suck the plant juices or chew the leaves. Birds, such as bobolink, Java sparrow, or paddybird, would eat the seeds or grains. Disease causing factors such as fungi, roundworms, viruses, and bacteria also destroy the rice plants. Blast disease is caused by fungi which causes the panicles containing the grains to break. (Jodon, 300)

There are various types of rice grown all over the world. A majority of rice grown is cultivated rice. When rice is grown with water standing on the fields, it is called lowland, wet, or irrigated rice. Rice plants grown in certain parts of Asia, South America, and Africa are called upland, hill, or dry rice because they are raised on elevated lands that canno...

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...as ragged- stunt. Since Japan has increased its funds to its genome projects, they have been able to increase the work on mapping the twelve rice chromosomes. Scientists hope that these projects will be finished, and that farmers will be using the enhanced genes on their rice plants by the beginning of the next century.

Bibliography:

Works Cited

"The Super Rice Challenge." "Bioscience."

Apr. 1995 v.45. pp. 239

Jodon, Nelson. "Rice." World Book Encyclopedia.

1976, Chicago. Field Enterprises Educational Corporation. v. 16. pp. 298-303

Normille, Dennis. "Rice Genome Races Ahead." "Science."

5 Dec. 1997. v. 278. pp. 1702

Normille, Dennis. "Yangtze Seen as Earliest Rice Site." "Science."

17 Jan. 1997. V. 275. pp. 309

Ronald, Pamela. "Making Rice Disease-Resistant." "Scientific American."

Nov. !997. pp. 100-105.