Table of Content

• Scientific Name of Rice
• Taxonomy of Rice (Oryza sativa)
• Characteristics of Rice (Oryza sativa)
• Conclusion – Scientific Name of Rice (Oryza sativa)
• Other Related Articles on Scientific / Botanical Names
• FAQs on Scientific Name of Rice (Oryza sativa)

Characteristics of Rice (Oryza sativa)

The rice scientific name and family is discussed above. Now, let us read about some characteristics of rice:

• The term “Oryza” is a Latin word that refers to rice, and “sativa” is a Latin word that means “cultivated.”
• Oryza sativa, commonly known as rice, is classified into three major subspecies: japonica (or Sinica), indica, and tropical japonica.
• Japonica, which includes sticky, short-grained varieties, was domesticated in the Yangtze Valley approximately 9,000 to 6,000 years ago.
• It can be grown in dry fields, submerged in water, and is suitable for temperate East Asia, upland areas of Southeast Asia, and high elevations in South Asia.
• Indica was domesticated around the Ganges about 8,500 to 4,500 years ago. Its varieties are mainly lowland rice, typically grown submerged, and are widespread in tropical Asia.
• Tropical japonica is characterized by broad-grained rice that thrives in tropical conditions. Initially referred to as javanica, it is now known as tropical japonica. Examples of this variety include the ‘Tinawon’ and ‘Unoy’ cultivars, which are grown in the high-elevation rice terraces of the Cordillera Mountains in northern Luzon, Philippines.
• Different classification methods have been used to categorize O. sativa varieties.
• Glaszmann (1987) sorted them into six groups based on isozymes: japonica, aromatic, indica, aus, rayada, and Ashina.
• Garris used simple sequence repeats to classify O. sativa into five groups: temperate japonica, tropical japonica, and aromatic as part of the japonica varieties, while indica and aus were categorized as indica varieties.

Conclusion – Scientific Name of Rice (Oryza sativa)

In conclusion, the botanical name of rice is Oryza sativa. The scientific name of rice helps in the classification and genetic study of rice, a staple crop. Domesticated in China, it belongs to the Poaceae family and serves as a model organism for genetic research due to its modifiability. With its genome spanning 12 chromosomes, rice is grouped into three main subspecies: japonica, indica, and tropical japonica, each adapted to various growing conditions across Asia. Through different classification methods, such as isozymes and simple sequence repeats, researchers categorize rice varieties, providing insights into its diversity and adaptation mechanisms.

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