Paddy field
From open-encyclopedia.com - the free encyclopedia.
A paddy field is a flooded parcel of farmland for growing rice (from the Malaysian word 'padi', a noun meaning 'growing rice'). Paddy fields are a typical feature of rice-growing countries of East and Southeast Asia, such as China, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. They can occur naturally along rivers, or can be constructed, often with great input of labor and materials, even on hillsides. They require copious quantities of water for irrigation, and in countries with highly developed systems of paddy fields, the irrigation can be quite complex. Flooding provides water essential to the growth of the crop. It also gives an environment favorable to the strain of rice being grown, and is hostile to many species of weeds.
