Rice photo courtesy of USDA-ARS Rice is cultivated primarily for the grain which is the major source of carbohydrates in many countries, especially in Asia. The grain is also used to make a rice wine called saki.
Rice straw is used as roofing and packing material, feed, fertilizer, and fuel.
Native to the tropics and subtropics of Southeast Asia, rice is now grown throughout the world with China and India as the largest producers. The cultivated plant probably originated in Southeast Asia where wild types are still found. All rice grown commercially throughout the world is of the species Oryza sativa L, a cultivar species that is not found in the wild. The species O. glaberrinia is cultivated in Africa. The panicle, or seed-bearing head, is usually 4 to 10 inches long with branches that rise singly or in whorls.