Our Planet Will Thank Us for This New Rice Strain

Scientists have created a new rice strain that emits 70 percent less methane while maintaining high yields.

“This study shows that you can have low methane and still have a rice with high yields, and you can do it using traditional breeding methods, without GMO,” says Anna Schnürer, microbiologist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

Currently, about 12 percent of global methane emissions are caused by rice farming. Scientists recently identified the specific chemical compounds released by rice roots that lead to the production of methane. Using this new information, they were able to develop a new strain that is expected to slash methane emissions by 70 percent. After two years of field trials, researchers are now working to register this new rice variety with federal governments across the globe, meaning it could potentially be marketed to farmers in the not-so-distant future. “To make these things happen, we’ll also need some encouragement from governments to motivate and support farmers to use these low-methane varieties,” adds Schnürer.