Rice
Origin, Antiquity and History
Editors:
S.D. Sharma (ed.): Formerly Principal Scientist and Head, Genetic Resources Division, Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, India
ISBN 978-1-57808-680-1; June 2010; ca.580 pages, hc; US $ 89.95


About the Book

According to archaeologists rice was first domesticated in the basin of Yangtze River in China about 9000 years BP. Subsequently, its cultivation started in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. From China, its cultivation spread to Korea, Japan. From India, it spread to West Asia, Europe and Africa and then to the New World. There is a 'cousin' of rice that was domesticated in the Inner Delta of Niger River in West Africa about 3000 years ago but this has remained confined to tropical West Africa only. During the last nine millennia or so, man has improved the plant, increased its productivity and has found various uses of its parts. But, more than that, the plant has changed the life of people.

The story of rice differs from region to region and has been different in different periods of time. There was a time when tax was collected in the form of rice in Japan, the Southeast Asian kingdoms created hydraulic feats for its cultivation and Ottoman armies advanced with rice as their ration. In recent years, there have been riots due to scarcity of rice and also international efforts to produce enough rice to avoid hunger. The book provides an interesting reading of all such events in the course of its 9000 years long history.

Contents
• Domestication and Diaspora of Rice: S.D. Sharma
• Tai Participation in the Spread of Rice Agriculture in Asia: John Hartmann, Wei Luo and Vinya Sysamouth
• Rice in Social and Cultural Life of People: S.C. Ahuja and Uma Ahuja
• Domestication of Rice in China and Its Cultural Heritage: Shengxiang Tang and Songnan Xuan
• History of Rice Culture in Korea: The Origin, Antiquity and Diffusion: Mun-Hue Heu and Huhn-Pal Moon
• History of Rice in Japan: Chukichi Kaneda
• History of Rice in Southeast Asia and Australia: Lindsay Falvey
• History of Rice in South Asia (Up to 1947): Mofarahus Sattar, S.D. Sharma and Anil K. Pokharia
• History of Rice in South Asia (1947-2007): S.S. Vepa, M. Sattar and S.D. Sharma
• History of Rice in Western and Central Asia: Mark Nesbitt, St John Simpson and Ingvar Svanberg
• History of Rice in Europe: Aldo Ferrero and Francesco Vidotto
• History of Rice in Africa: Abd El-Azeem T. Badawi, Milad A. Maximos and Ibrahim R. Aidy, R.A. Olaoye and S.D. Sharma
• The Rice Industry of the United States: Peter A. Coclanis
• History of Rice in Hispanic America: J.A. Pereira and E.P. Guimarães
• History of Rice Marketing: S. Kumar and J. Ali
• A Century of Rice Breeding, Its Impact and Challenges Ahead: G.S. Khush and P.S. Virk


  
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