Heirloom Kuruluthuda red rice: low-country wetland drainage and zinc accumulation?

Kuruluthuda (literally "Bird’s Beak Rice") is a prized indigenous red rice cultivar cultivated in low-country wet-zone floodplains. It is adapted to deep-water conditions, capable of growing through standing water up to 60cm deep. Its thick, hollow culm stalks transport atmospheric oxygen down to submerged root zones via aerenchyma tissues, preventing root rot in anaerobic peat soils. The grain has a curved, pointed tip resembling a bird’s beak. It possesses high natural grain zinc and protein content, producing a firm, chewy red rice when cooked with mild curries.