RICE Facility

About CANR

UD Rice Research, Education, and Communication (RICE) Facility

The Rice Investigation, Communication, and Education (RICE) Facility is an NSF and USDA-funded network of 30 individual rice paddy plots where research, education, and outreach activities are conducted. Each paddy is 2x2 m and equipped with solar powered sensors to allow cutting edge research involving biogeochemical cycling including how soil amendments or engineered water management influences uptake of metals in rice and greenhouse gas emissions.

The process of rice growth from seedling to mature plants

A test plot with black netting, stakes, irrigation setup and small pits.

A close-up rice plants growing green above the flooded test plot.

Larger green rice plants sticking out well above their sunken and flooded test plots.

Researchers kneeling next to mush larger green and yellow plants, growing well above their submerged test plots.

The initial funding for UD’s RICE Facility was via the NSF CAREER award to PI Seyfferth. Since then, the facility has been expanded to address new projects funded by NSF and USDA. This facility is a hub for research, teaching, and outreach.