Question

Arrange these growth stages of rice in sequence from sowing to harvesting : -
(A) Dough stage
(B) Flowering stage
(C) Tillering stage
(D) Booting stage
Choose the correct answer from the options given below :

• A. (A), (B), (C), (D).
• B. (D), (C), (A), (B).
• C. (B), (A), (D), (C).
• D. (C), (D), (B), (A).

Hint:

To remember the ripening phase sequence easily, use the alphabetical order of the grain texture changes:
Milk stage \(\rightarrow\) Dough stage (soft to hard) \(\rightarrow\) Mature/Hard grain stage.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Rice (Oryza sativa) progresses through distinct physiological growth phases from sowing to harvest: the vegetative phase, the reproductive phase, and the ripening phase.
Identifying the sequential order of these development stages is crucial for the timely application of water, fertilizers, and plant protection measures.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us trace the growth stages of the rice plant in chronological order from sowing to maturity:
1. Sowing and Seedling Stage: Initial germination and early leaf development.
2. Tillering stage (C): This is part of the vegetative phase where the plant produces multiple lateral branches called tillers from the main stem, establishing the potential panicle number.
3. Booting stage (D): This marks the mid-reproductive phase.
During this stage, the developing panicle swells inside the uppermost leaf sheath (flag leaf sheath), making it bulge.
4. Flowering stage (B): The panicle emerges from the boot (heading), and anthesis (flowering) occurs, allowing pollination and fertilization to take place.
5. Dough stage (A): Part of the ripening phase where the milky fluid inside the grain turns into a soft, paste-like dough, which later hardens into solid starch before harvesting.
Therefore, the chronological sequence of the growth stages is:
Tillering stage (C) \(\rightarrow\) Booting stage (D) \(\rightarrow\) Flowering stage (B) \(\rightarrow\) Dough stage (A).

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct chronological sequence from sowing to harvesting is (C), (D), (B), (A), which corresponds to Option D.