Botanical name: Oryza sativa L.
Family: Rice belongs to genus oryza of gramineae family

Origin
Rice is regarded as a first cultivated crop of Asia. Preserved rice grains were found in China around 3000 B.C. Paddy grains found during excavation at Hastinapur (India) around 1000-750 B.C., considered as a oldest sample in the world. Vavilov (1926) concluded that south- west Himalaya has various types and varieties and indicated probable center of origin. Thus, based on all these archaeological evidence, India is considered center of origin of Rice.