Rice is one of the primary staple foods for more than half of the world's population. The plant belongs to the grass family and has numerous synonyms such as paddy, rice paddies, Oryza sativa, Oryza glaberrima, and more. In India, rice plants are called dhan, while in China, it is known as dao. In the Philippines, farmers refer to it as palay, while in central America, the plant is called arroz. It is also known as a C4 plant due to its unique photosynthetic pathway, which allows it to photosynthesize more efficiently than other plants. With over 100,000 varieties of rice in existence, the rice plant continues to be a vital ingredient in the world's cuisines.