XVI International Botanical Congess

Emissions of methane from flooded rice paddy fields and wet lands are the combined net results of methane production, oxidation and transport to the atmosphere. Methane produced in flooded rice paddy fields and wetlands by methanogenic bacteria may be released into the atmosphere by three different pathways: molecular diffusion, ebullition of gas bubbles and plant-mediated transports. The most important one of the three is the flow of methane through the aerenchyma system in aquatic plants. In this report, we discuss factors affecting methane emission from rice paddies, the role of rice plants in methane transport, and modeling of methane transport using a diffusion model. Finally, mitigation options for reducing methane emission from rice paddy fields will be discussed.