Rice

Rice is the seed of themonocot plants Oryza sativa (Asian rice) or Oryza glaberrima(African rice). As a cereal grain, it is the most widely consumed staple food for a large part of the world’s human population, especially in Asia. It is the grain with the second-highest worldwide production after maize (corn)Rice is normally grown as an annual plant, although in tropical areas it can survive as a perennial and can produce a ratoon crop for up to 30 years. The rice plant can grow to 1–1.8 m (3.3–5.9 ft) tall, occasionally more depending on the variety and soil fertility. It has long, slender leaves 50–100 cm (20–39 in) long and 2–2.5 cm (0.79–0.98 in) broad. The small wind-pollinated flowers are produced in a branched arching to pendulous inflorescence 30–50 cm (12–20 in) long. The edible seed is a grain (caryopsis) 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.12 in) thick. Rice is a major food staple and a mainstay for the rural population and their food security. It is mainly cultivated by small farmers in holdings of less than 1 hectare. Rice is also a wage commodity for workers in the cash crop or non-agricultural sectors. Rice is vital for the nutrition of much of the population in Asia, as well as in Latin America and the Caribbean and in Africa; it is central to the food security of over half the world population. Developing countries account for 95% of the total production, with China and India alone responsible for nearly half of the world output.

Rice is the staple food for the Asians. 50 % of world production is contributed by India and China. In India, the states which grow rice are Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharastra, Punjab, and Assam. Rice is mainly cultivated in the monsoon in the land of Burma, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Rice is a lesser extent is cultivated in America and Australia. It would be hard to overestimate the importance of grain in the life of human beings. They are seeds; compact packages that contain plants embryo with enough food for them to develops. As they are concentrated sources of protein and carbohydrate and can be stored for a long time, the edible seeds have played an important role in human nutrition and cultural evolution.

There are about 2500 types of rice, some with red, blue or even purple coloration.

Growth and cultivation:

The growth of rice is different from the other cereals. It is capable of being grown in standing water or on drylands unlike other cereals known as upland rice and account for 15% of rice cultivation. It can be grown in a hot and wet climate of heavy rainfall ( 120-200 cm)

Processing: rice before milling with the presence of husk is called rough rice ( paddy) and later it is called raw rice ( brown rice)

Structure: unlike wheat, there is one other coating called husk. The other parts are – bran made up of numbers of layers constituent of vitamin and cellulose. Testa – adds color to the grain. Aleurone- covering of endosperm. Endosperm – 75%-80% of whole-grain made up of starch, protein, and minerals. Germ- the embryo of grain-rich in gat, protein, and minerals.

Composition – carbohydrate -72%-77%, Protein- 7% – 8%, fat – 1%, and trace of minerals and vitamin B.

Cooking

The many varieties of rice, for many purposes, are distinguished as long-, medium-, and short-grain rice. The grains of fragrant long-grain rice (high amylose) tend to remain intact after cooking; medium-grain rice (high amylopectin) becomes more sticky. Medium-grain rice is used for sweet dishes, for risotto in Italy and many rice dishes, such as arròs Negre, in Spain. Some varieties of long-grain rice are high in amylopectin, these are generally known as Thai Sticky rice, usually steamed. Stickier medium-grain rice is used for sushi; the stickiness lets the rice be molded into a solid shape. Short-grain rice is often used for rice pudding.

Milled to unmilled rice, from left to right, white rice (Japanese rice), rice with germ, brown rice

Rice is cooked by boiling or steaming and absorbs water during cooking. It can be cooked in just as much water as it absorbs (the absorption method), or in a large quantity of water which is drained before serving (the rapid-boil method). Electric rice cookers, popular in Asia and Latin America, simplify the process of cooking rice. Rice (or any other grain) is sometimes quickly fried in oil or fat before boiling (for example saffron rice or risotto); this makes the cooked rice less sticky and is a cooking style commonly called pilaf by American chefs or biryani (Dam-pukhtak) in India, Pakistan, and Iran.

Cereal

Cereal is a grass, in the monocot family Poaceae, also known as Gramineae, cultivated for the edible components of their grain(botanically, a type of fruit called a caryopsis), composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran. Cereal grains are grown in greater quantities and provide more food energy worldwide than any other type of crop; they are therefore stapled crops.they are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, oils, and protein.

List of Cereal Crops

1. Rice (mainly Oryza sativa)

2. Wheat, bread wheat (Triticum aestivum)

3. Durum wheat, macaroni wheat (Triticum durum)

4. Corn or maize (Zea mays)

5. Job’s Tears, salay, adlay, tigbe, pawas (Coix lachryma-jobi)

6. Barley (Hordeum vulgare)

7. Millet (Panicum miliaceum, Eleusine coracana, Setaria italica, Pennisetum glaucum)

8. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)

9. Oat (Avena sativa)

10. Rye (Secale cereale)

11. Triticale (xTriticosecale)

12. Teff, taf (Eragrostis tef)

13. Fonio (Digitaria exilis)

14. Wild rice, Canada rice, Indian rice, water oats (Zizania spp.)

15. Spelt (Triticum spelta)

16. Canary grass (Phalaris sp.)

Pulse (legume)

A pulse (Latin “puls”,] from Ancient Greek πόλτος poltos “porridge”), sometimes called a “grain legume”, is an annual leguminous crop yielding from one to twelve seeds of variable size, shape, and color within a pod. Pulses are used for food for humans and other animals. Included in the pulses are dry beans like pinto beans, kidney beans, and navy beans; dry peas; lentils; and others.

Pulses are important food crops due to their high protein and essential amino acid content. Like many leguminous crops, pulses play a key role in crop rotation due to their ability to fix nitrogen.

Just like words such as “bean” and “lentil”, the word “pulse” may refer to just the seed or the entire plant.

Classification

1. Dry beans (Phaseolusspp. including several species now in Vigna)
   • Kidney bean, haricot bean, pinto bean, navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)
   • Lima bean, butter bean (Phaseolus lunatus)
   • Azuki bean, adzuki bean (Vigna angularis)
   • Mung bean, golden gram, green gram (Vigna radiata)
   • Black gram, urad (Vigna mungo)
   • Scarlet runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus)
   • Ricebean (Vigna umbellata)
   • Moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia)
   • Tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius)
2. Dry broad beans (Vicia faba)
   • Horse bean (Vicia faba equina)
   • Broad bean (Vicia faba)
   • Field bean (Vicia faba)
3. Dry peas (Pisum spp.)
   • Garden pea (Pisum sativum var. sativum)
   • Protein pea (Pisum sativum var. arvense)
4. Chickpea, garbanzo, Bengal gram (Cicer arietinum)
5. Dry cowpea, black-eyed pea, blackeye bean (Vigna unguiculata )
6. Pigeon pea, Arhar /Toor, cajan pea, Congo bean, gandules (Cajanus cajan)
7. Lentil (Lens culinaris)
8. Bambara groundnut, earth pea (Vigna subterranea)
9. Vetch, common vetch (Vicia sativa)
10. Lupins (Lupinus spp.)
11. Minor pulses, including:
    • Lablab, hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus)
    • Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis), sword bean (Canavalia gladiata)
    • Winged bean (Psophocarpus teragonolobus)
    • Velvet bean, cowitch (Mucuna pruriens var. utilis)
    • Yam bean (Pachyrrizus erosus)