Science and Cultural Talk on Tamil Nadu - My Career and Life

This is an exemplary presentation made by myself to my colleagues in Colmer’s laboratory of Ecophysiology in the School of Plant Biology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Western Australia on Culture of Tamil Nadu and Tamil People. Besides this was also an introductory talk of myself and my parents – of course, my dad as usual was always busy away over his phone when I was taking a photo of everyone who came to drop me in the airport. The little brat is my nephew peeping out of tears – who knows for what? He was so happy to send me off as he had the privilege to help me until clearance and enjoyed being the “centre of attraction”!

Well memories will remain forever – but is time to watch the presentation!

Tamil Nadu and People of Tamil Nadu–About Myself in Tamil Nadu

Growing Temperate Rice Varieties In The Temperate Way For The Summer!

ice

Australian Rice

Well what can do more good than RICE for this hot summer on your platter! Rice in the temperate regions is a summer crop and you will find here what makes rice a good summer crop to grow for the farmers too..with Australia as the classical temperate country growing rice!

The Plan For Growing Rice:

Australia being a major producer of temperate varieties worldwide has a very systematic way for cultivation of rice, which is well planned for the warm and wet conditions. In Australia, rice is grown as an irrigated summer crop, during the months of September to March.

1. Preparing To Sow In September:

The field is prepared for growing rice as outlined by the strict guidelines by the Rice Grower's Association (RGA) by those farmers who are able to make it to the level of procuring a license for cultivation. Initially, most of the farmers use laser-guided land leveling techniques, which though seems to be a time waster actually increases the crop productivity in the end and also cuts out your expense in the Water Use Efficiency (WUE).

2. Sowing The Seed:

Seeds are sown using aircraft guided with the help of satellite guidance technology for broadcasting simulating the technology of dropping bombs. Prior to sowing the seeds are soaked for two hours and drained for 24 hours, which raises them to be small seedlings in three days with tiny shoots like nymphs. There is minimal restriction for sowing seeds, which should be at least 120 kg/ hectare, which can nurture nearly 300 plants per square meter. No chemicals are added to the field, which is one of added advantage for the demand for Australian rice in other temperate regions where this cannot be cultivated. Pesticides and herbicides to keep the pests and weeds at bay are added to the last 10 days when they are prone to the risk of pest attacks, by spraying these chemicals only in the bay when the water that had been kept to the level of 5 to 25 cm until that time are allowed to dry out.

3. Growing Phase (January To February):

Depending on the type of variety that is grown the period of flowering and seed setting will vary. The rice plant in homozygous and are self pollinated, which forms four to five tillers with each tillers bearing a terminal flowering head or panicle and the seed setting within the protection of the husk. The rice plant roots well within the clayey soil forming additional thin aerial surface roots for oxygenation in the top soil, and thick adventitious short and white fibrous roots that are adapted for preventing radial oxygen loss (ROL) and enhancing the longitudinal gas transport. 

The only fertilizers that may be added to the soil are nitrogen and phosphorous to aid in increasing the growth.

4. Autumn Harvest (March To April):

As almost most of the varieties mature and grows to get ready by the months of March to April, they are harvested the fields are 'locked up' to prevent further water inflow and outflow, allowing the remaining water to aid in the maturation of the paddy rice (the rice that is ready for harvesting is known in Australia as the paddy rice), and are unmilled from the husk for consumption using harvesters, and the field in plown and allowed to get ready for other crops that require less water for their growth like wheat or legumes to be seeded for completing their lie cycle with the left over water in the field. 

Reaping Harvests

Australian Rice Varieties

Australia being one of the biggest countries in the Southern hemisphere, located in the Oceania continent, faces both the tropical and temperate climates. Despite having a tropical climate, which is being considered to the be the favorable climate for growing the semi-aquatic crop, rice, in Australia, only 20 per cent of the total rice produced could be attributed to the tropical side, while more than 80 per cent of the production comes from the temperate regions of Australia in Victoria and New South Wales.

This 80 percent of the rice production will include the cultivation of medium grain varieties called the Japonica varieties. The high temperature during the summer and lack of tropical humidity, favors the growth of these varieties. They are, therefore, very often called the temperate varieties. Some of the popular Japonica varieties cultivated and used well in Australia are Amaroo and their predecessor, Calrose. Amaroo and Millin are the most popular medium grain rice varieties.

Nevertheless, Koshihikari, is the short rice variety, that is also used much in Japan.

The rest of the 20 percent of the rice to be cultivated in the tropical regions will comprise of the long grain Indica varieties, like the Langi, being the largest seller. Other popularly cultivates long grain rice varieties will also include the fragrant varieties like the Basmati. 

So, which , rice do you think you are consuming more?