This article examines the chronicles composed by Meccan authors ʿIzz al-Dīn ibn Fahd and his son Jār Allāh ibn Fahd in order to trace continuities and transformations across the turn of the sixteenth century. Mecca’s reliance on donations of voluntary alms, especially the donations that were sent on a regular basis from the Mamluk and Ottoman sultans to sustain the population of the city, is well known. The Meccan chroniclers provide sufficient detail about these donations to show the growing impact of alms sent from Indian rulers—rice in particular is noted—starting at the end of the fifteenth century, which may also signal the more widespread consumption of rice in local cuisine. This development indicates a broadening of the scope of the Indian commerce in non-luxury goods and the reorientation of Mecca and the Hijaz within global commercial connections.

Wingleaf primrose-willow [Ludwigia decurrens Walter] is a pervasive rice (Oryza sativa L.) weed native or naturalized to South America, the Caribbean, and the southeastern United States. While it was first noted in California in 2011 and provided with the highest pest rating “A” by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, enforcing eradication or quarantine was relatively disregarded, and it did not appear to spread significantly past its initial infestation area. Here, we report the spread within four counties (Butte, Placer, Shasta, and Tehama) of California, for which it has been found up to 184 km away from the initial infestation, and the expansion of the initial infestation within Butte County. As L. decurrens is already a problematic rice weed in parts of Asia, Africa, India, and the United States, monitoring new infestations is pivotal to prevent negative economic and environmental consequences to California and the United States.

Fall panicum is a major annual grass weed in drill-seeded rice production systems on organic soils in Florida. Field studies conducted in 2021 and 2022 aimed to determine the effects of season-long fall panicum interference on rough rice yield on organic soils. The relationship between fall panicum density and percent rough rice yield loss relative to the weed-free control was described using the rectangular hyperbola model. Yield loss increased with increasing fall panicum density. The initial slope parameter (I), representing percent yield loss as density approaches zero, was estimated at 9.7%, indicating that even very low fall panicum densities caused measurable yield reductions. The asymptote parameter (A), representing percent yield loss as density approaches infinity, was estimated at 118%, suggesting that yield loss approaches 100% at very high fall panicum densities within the biological limits of the crop-weed interference. Within the observed density range (1 to 49 plants m−2), yield loss was predicted to increase from approximately 9% to 95%, and 50% yield loss was estimated to occur at 9 plants m−2. Thousand-grain weight declined linearly with increasing fall panicum density, with each additional fall panicum plant per square meter reducing thousand-grain weight by 0.18 g, indicating that fall panicum interference affected grain filling. These results demonstrate that fall panicum is highly competitive with rice and that even low infestations can result in substantial yield loss, showing the importance of timely and effective management in Florida rice organic soil production systems.

Excavations at the Jizhong site in eastern China reveal the agricultural and horticultural range of the ancient Yue state, uncovering rice, gourds and fruit seeds, and the integration of proto-urban foodways with state development. This suggests that increasing dietary complexity and urban-rural integration were inherited by the subsequent Qin-Han dynasties.

Drill-seeded rice (DSR) offers several agronomic and environmental advantages over conventional puddled-transplanted rice (PTR), including labor and water savings, reduced cultivation costs, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Despite these benefits, weed control remains a major bottleneck in the widespread adoption of DSR. Imidazolinone (IMI)-resistant rice, which allows the use of imidazolinone herbicides, has the potential to overcome weed control challenges in DSR and can therefore facilitate the transition from PTR to DSR. However, limited information exists on the effectiveness of IMI herbicide–based weed control programs in drill-seeded IMI-resistant rice in northwestern India. Field experiments were conducted in Karnal, India, from the 2020 through 2023 growing seasons to 1) evaluate the timing and rates of imidazolinone herbicides for effective weed control in IMI-resistant rice under DSR conditions, and 2) assess the potential carryover effects of IMI herbicides on succeeding crops. Results showed that sequential early postemergence applications of imazethapyr followed by (fb) late postemergence applications of either 100 fb 150 g ai ha−1 or 125 fb 125 g ai ha−1) effectively reduced the biomass of key weed species by 83% to 100%, including barnyardgrass, crowfootgrass, and Chinese sprangletop, and provided yields that were similar to weed-free treatments. These sequential postemergence treatments were consistently more effective than conventional preemergence herbicide applications of oxadiargyl fb a postemergence application of bispyribac-sodium. Sequential preemergence fb postemergence applications of imazethapyr were relatively less effective in controlling weeds and minimizing yield losses compared to sequential postemergence applications. However, in the second and third years, oxadiargyl (90 g ai ha−1) applied preemergence fb imazethapyr (100 g ai ha−1) applied postemergence achieved comparable weed control efficiency to those of sequential postemergence applications of imazethapyr (125 fb 125 g ai ha−1). No phytotoxicity was observed in the succeeding crops of wheat, mustard, chickpea, lentil, and corn from any of the herbicide treatments applied to IMI-resistant rice.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) agriculture of the southern United States is plagued by strong biotic competition with several species in the Echinochloa genus. Despite clear genomic differences between barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv.] and junglerice [Echinochloa colona (L.) Link], the two major Echinochloa agricultural weeds are nearly indistinguishable phenotypically. This inability to reliably differentiate the species has led farmers to treat the group as a single species, often resulting in ineffective weed control efforts. In this study, we first develop a simple chloroplast-anchored PCR-based restriction enzyme assay to differentiate between E. colona and the other Echinochloa species of agricultural concern. Applying this assay, we identify a strong bias toward E. colona in 2024 rice field collections from eastern Arkansas. Finally, we evaluate anecdotal reports of interspecific hybridization between the species and find no evidence. Despite the drawbacks of the maternally inherited nature of the chloroplast genome, the availability of this species determinant assay will help USDA and academia extension agents and stakeholders to make educated, species-specific decisions about precision chemical weed control and field management.

Species in the genus Echinochloa present a major management challenge in rice production worldwide. Understanding the herbicide resistance status of Echinochloa is crucially necessary for raising awareness and developing effective management programs. This study investigated the status of herbicide resistance by junglerice, the predominant Echinochloa species in Texas rice fields. A total of 58 junglerice populations collected during a field survey (2015–2016) of Texas rice fields were screened with two preemergence herbicides; quinclorac (Group 4) and clomazone (Group 13); and four postemergence herbicides: fenoxaprop (Group 1), imazethapyr (Group 2), quinclorac (Group 4), and propanil (Group 5). At 21 d after application (DAA) of herbicide treatments, percent survival, and percent visible injury data were recorded. Based on the injury levels observed, the populations were categorized into being either putative resistant (≤50% injury), less sensitive (51% to 90% injury), or susceptible (≥91% injury). Results showed that herbicide resistance is widespread among the junglerice populations surveyed in Texas. About 5% of the populations showed multiple resistance to all four postemergence herbicides that were evaluated. Dose-response assays were conducted on the populations with the lowest injury ratings to determine the extent of resistance and revealed a >70-fold resistance to imazethapyr, a >15-fold resistance to propanil, and a 3-fold resistance to fenoxaprop, compared with a susceptible check. The results suggested that integrated management practices are needed to manage junglerice in Texas rice production.

The recommended method of control for glyphosate-resistant (GR) Italian ryegrass in Mississippi is to apply residual herbicides in the fall; however, these treatments may negatively affect rice performance. This study was conducted to evaluate rice performance following fall-applied treatments of residual herbicides + flumioxazin at different rates. Pooled over with and without flumioxazin and herbicide rates, clomazone and dimethenamid-P caused <10% injury 28 d after emergence. Acetochlor delayed rice maturity by 2 d to clomazone, dimethenamid-P, and flumioxazin. Rice density was reduced ≥4 plants m−2 following fall-applied acetochlor and dimethenamid-P compared to nontreated plants. Rough rice yields were reduced by ≥670 kg ha−1 with fall-applied acetochlor alone and dimethenamid-P compared to nontreated plants. Acetochlor should not be used as a fall-applied treatment in areas where rice is scheduled to grow the following season. Given current label restrictions and rice injury caused by acetochlor and dimethenamid-P, clomazone remains the only viable option for controlling GR Italian ryegrass where rice is scheduled to be planted the following spring.

The genus Aphelenchoides Fischer, 1894, encompasses nearly 200 species with significant ecological and economic importance, yet its taxonomy remains complex due to morphological similarities among species and limited molecular data. In this study, we describe a new species, Aphelenchoides vinhphucensis sp. n., collected from the rhizosphere of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam. The new species is distinguished by its morphological characteristics, including a slender stylet (9.6–12.7 μm), distinct lateral fields with four lines, a conical tail with a pointed mucro, and a well-developed post-uterine sac. Males feature three pairs of caudal papillae and arcuate spicules. Scanning electron microscopy provided detailed insights into surface features, complementing light microscopy observations. Molecular analyses of the D2-D3 regions of 28S rRNA and 18S rRNA supported the distinct phylogenetic placement of Aphelenchoides vinhphucensis sp. n., differentiating it from closely related species. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis confirmed its divergence, contributing to our understanding of biodiversity of the genus Aphelenchoides. This integrative approach highlights the importance of combining classical morphological methods with modern molecular tools for accurate species identification. The discovery of Aphelenchoides vinhphucensis sp. n. underscores the nematode diversity in Vietnam, especially those associated with rice cultivation.

Rice cultivated under furrow irrigation faces weed management challenges due to the aerobic conditions that favor the emergence of terrestrial weeds such as Palmer amaranth. Fluridone was recently registered for use in rice production, offering an alternative site of action for Palmer amaranth control. Four site-years of field experiments were conducted in 2022 and 2023 in furrow-irrigated rice to assess Palmer amaranth control and crop tolerance to fluridone applied preemergence alone or with various postemergence treatments. The experiment was a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement and four replications. The whole-plot factor was the postemergence treatment, while the subplot factor was fluridone applied preemergence at 0, 84, 168 (1× labeled rate), and 336 g ai ha−1. Postemergence treatments included no herbicide, a single florpyrauxifen-benzyl application at 6 wk after rice emergence(WAE), and a weed-free control. The 2× rate of fluridone caused the greatest visual injury compared with the 0.5× rate across site-years at 2 and 5 WAE, ranging from 8% to 34%. The 1× and 2× rates of fluridone provided the greatest reduction in Palmer amaranth density 4 wk after treatment (WAT). However, the effect diminished or became less prominent by 8 WAT. Palmer amaranth density at rice harvest was reduced in most instances after a follow-up application of florpyrauxifen-benzyl, and seed production had diminished by ≥94% compared to its absence. Regardless of the fluoridone rate, rough rice grain yield was not affected under weed-free conditions. These findings suggest that integrating fluridone with a subsequent florpyrauxifen-benzyl application enhances Palmer amaranth management in furrow-irrigated rice compared to using fluridone alone. However, sequential applications are needed for successful Palmer amaranth control.

The genetic basis of rapid and uniform seed germination and its associated traits is crucial for improving seed vigour and seedling establishment for higher productivity in direct-seeded rice (DSR) systems. This study investigates the phenotypic diversity and genetic architecture of germination traits in 163 rice genotypes, using a genome-wide association studies (GWAS). An association panel of 163 diverse rice genotypes, including varieties, germplasm and breeding lines, was evaluated for seed germination traits over 2 years (2022 and 2023). The panel was genotyped using 295 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, including 80 random SSRs and 215 candidate gene SSRs linked to seed traits and morphological attributes. The genotyping of 163 lines with 295 markers revealed a range of genetic diversity, with polymorphic information content values between 0.04 and 0.93. Population structure analysis indicated the presence of two groups and four sub-groups. GWAS identified 80 significant marker-trait associations (MTAs) across 12 chromosomes at P ≤ 0.05, which narrow down to 18 MTAs at P ≤ 0.01. Twelve candidate genes are identified which were related with multiple traits, linked to important functions, such as seed-size regulation, nutrient mobilization and plant growth. Candidate gene-based SSR (cgSSR) markers such as M169 (OsMIK), M57 (THIS1), M66 (GW2), and M18 (OsBAK1), displayed pleiotropy including rapid and uniform germination (germination index, germination rate index and mean germination time) traits. The newly identified candidate gene markers associated with seed rapid and uniform germination traits can be leveraged in marker-assisted breeding programs to introduce diverse alleles for enhanced seed vigour and crop establishment. Markers closely linked to multiple traits hold significant potential for the simultaneous improvement of several traits.