When it comes to the production of rice many will believe that rice requires to be grown in standing water. Although many methods for growing rice consist of rice plants in standing water this is not true. There are various reasons for the implementation of standing water, all of which are for better conditions for rice plants to grow. One interesting point about growing rice plants in water is that if water levels rise too much and actually submerge the rice plant or in fact cover almost all of the rice plant then the plant will die. Rice plants contain openings called stomata as well as other elements that they can take in oxygen, if these elements are submerged then they will die. It is known that it takes only a few days for rice plants to die.
The following points are the main reasoning behind growing rice plants in water.
Weeds
A big concern in growing rice is that of weeds. When growing rice in dry soil areas the potential of weeds growing is much larger than weeds in flooded areas. By flooding the weeds…or unwanted plants that grow around the rice plants and making them submerged under the water, you are essentially killing them off. Weeds like rice plants require oxygen and submerging the plants cuts off oxygen significantly as slight oxygen is still available. This is highly effective, however rice plants can also die if you submerge them!
Weeds have a negative impact on rice plants as weeds require nutrients and water just like rice plants. Weeds equal more competition to those nutrients and water supply resulting in a decrease of available nutrition.
Insect Repellent
Insects are the other major concern for the health and quality of rice plants. Many insects and rodents eat and destroy the plants which if goes unnoticed or left can have a greater detrimental effect and spread. This is where the benefit of growing rice in standing water becomes effective against insects and all sorts of pests. The water deters any pests from entering and getting close to the plants.
Temperature Control
Water temperatures in fact have slower decreasing rates so heat levels are lost more slowly then that of land such as soil. Water also takes longer to heat which means heat upon the rice plants in standing water will be cooler then if no water was there. Overall this leads to rice plants having a higher temperature in cooler times, more specifically night and rice plants will not suffer as much to higher temperatures compared to being situated with no surrounding water.
