With a genome consisting of 430 Mbp across 12 chromosomes, it is renowned for being easy to genetically modify and is a model organism for the study of the biology of cereals and monocots.

[8] The generic name Oryza[9] is a classical Latin word for rice, while the specific epithet sativa means "cultivated".

Rice grain occurs in a variety of colors, including white, brown, black (purple when cooked), and red.

Examples of this variety include the medium-grain 'Tinawon' and 'Unoy' cultivars, which are grown in the high-elevation rice terraces of the Central Cordillera Mountains of northern Luzon, Philippines.

[21] Exome capture often reveals new single nucleotide polymorphisms in rice, due to its large genome and high degree of DNA repetition.