Rice crop production from nursery to postharvesting treatment

Abstract

For more than half of the world's population, rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food crop. The preparation of the nursery, transplanting, field management, harvesting, and postharvest processing are all steps in the cultivation process. Each stage is essential in deciding the ultimate product's quality and yield. Choosing high-quality seeds, setting up the seedbed correctly, and maintaining ideal environmental conditions for seedling growth are all part of nursery management. To guarantee equal crop establishment, planting, or moving seedlings to the main field, involves precise timing and spacing. Irrigation, fertilization, weeding, and pest and disease management are all included in field management. By using these techniques, you may increase plant growth, reduce production losses, and protect the environment. Harvesting entails cutting and gathering ripe rice panicles at the appropriate time. To avoid grain shattering and preserve grain quality, proper timing is crucial. Threshing, drying, cleaning, grading, storing, and milling are all parts of postharvest management. These procedures guarantee grain quality preservation, reduce postharvest losses, and get the rice ready for consumption. Rice crop production is a complicated and varied process that needs close attention to each stage to produce rice with the best yields and grain quality. To fulfill the rising demand for this main crop and ensure food security, it is crucial to comprehend and optimize these practices. This chapter explores the many facets of postharvest handling and clarifies their significance in the agricultural supply chain. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.