Environment-friendly rice

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Atmospheric methane is the second most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, and is responsible for about 20% of the global warming effect since pre-industrial times^1, 2. Rice paddies are the largest anthropogenic methane source and produce 7–17% of atmospheric methane^2, 3. Warm waterlogged soil and exuded nutrients from rice roots provide ideal conditions for methanogenesis  ( releasing of methane by methanogenic bacteria  ) in paddies with annual methane emissions of 25–100-million tones

Researchers have recently putting the barley gene SUSIBA2 into rice creates a shift in biomass production from root to shoot (above ground tissue becomes larger, while below ground tissue is reduced), decreasing the methanogen population, and resulting in a reduction of methane emissions of up to 97%. Apart from this environmental benefit, the modification also increases the amount of rice grains by 43%, which makes it useful tool in feeding a growing world population

resulting in a reduction of methane emissions of up to 97%. Apart from this environmental benefit, the modification also increases the amount of rice grains by 43%, which makes it useful tool in feeding a growing world population