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Japonica rice (Oryza sativa subsp.japonica), sometimes calledsinica rice, is one of the two major domestic types ofAsian rice varieties. Japonica rice is extensively cultivated and consumed inEast Asia, whereas in most other regionsindica rice is the dominant type of rice. Japonica rice originated fromCentral China, where it was first domesticated along theYangtze River basin approximately 9,500 to 6,000 years ago.[1][2][3]
The subspeciesjaponica can be classified into three subgroups, 'temperate japonica', 'tropical japonica' (obsolete designations: 'javanica';Oryza sativa subsp.javanica [ja]),[4] and 'aromatic'.[5] Temperate japonica is cultivated in East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam), while tropical japonica is inIndonesia,Madagascar, and also theAmericas where it was brought to with slave trade.[6]
Japonica rice grains are rounder, thicker, and harder, compared to longer, thinner, and fluffier indica rice grains. Japonica rice is also stickier due to the higher content ofamylopectin, whereas indica rice starch consists of less amylopectin and moreamylose.[7] Japonica rice plants are shorter than indica rice plants.[citation needed]
Temperate japonica has a large amount ofwaxy protein and a low amount ofthe non-waxy type.[8]: 12–13 Non-waxy rice proteins are produced by fouralleles, each producing one of four protein subtypes.[8]: 12–13 Temperate japonica is the only source of Type III, shares Type IV with onlytropical japonica ("javanica"), and lacks Type I and Type II.[8]: 12–13
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