Rice grows as a semi-aquatic plant that thrives in flooded fields known as paddies. The process begins with sowing seeds in prepared beds or seedbeds. When seedlings are about 25 to 50 days old, they are transplanted into leveed fields submerged under 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) of water, which is maintained throughout the growing season to support the plant's water needs and control weeds
. Farmers prepare the fields by leveling and fertilizing the soil, often using precision technology to maximize water efficiency. The fields are flooded to a shallow depth to help rice plants compete against weeds and to provide the moist environment rice requires
. Rice plants grow rapidly, reaching about 3 to 4 feet tall over approximately 120 days. The grain develops in panicles at the top of the stalks. When the grains mature and turn yellow and hard, the fields are drained to allow harvesting. Harvesting can be done manually or with combine harvesters, which cut the stalks and separate the grain from the plant
. After harvest, the rice grain is dried to reduce moisture content and prevent mold. The outer hull is removed during milling to produce brown rice, and further milling removes bran layers to produce white rice ready for consumption
. In summary, rice grows best in flooded, well-prepared fields with consistent irrigation, and it undergoes a cycle of planting, growing, draining, harvesting, drying, and milling to produce the edible grain
