Rice is unique among the cereals in being able to grow in flooded conditions. The rice plant is able to transport oxygen to the submerged roots from the leaves where oxygen is released during photosynthesis. Rice does best in temperate regions that have low summer rainfall with high light intensity. Unlike corn, sorghum, and millet, rice is a C-3 cereal. This means that increased light intensity has the potential to increase yield.
Rice is seeded in beds and transplanted in much of the world.
This means the rice seedlings are 30-40 days old before they are transplanted. In areas where the growing season is longer, by transplanting, two crops of rice can be planted back to back because of the growing season gained using the transplant. The downside to transplanting rice is the labor involved. This practice is usually found where labor is abundant and inexpensive, and the farms small. In a developed country, rice is grown very differently.