Rice is a staple of half the world’s population and also a potent emitter of greenhouse gases. But the Los Angeles Times reports that scientists say genetic engineering may help solve the grain’s methane problem. “By transferring a barley gene into a rice plant, scientists have created a new variety of rice that produces less methane while still making highly starchy, productive seeds.”
A small-scale test of the biotech rice found emissions were cut substantially. A UC-Davis plant scientist who was not involved in the study said more research was needed to see how much methane is generated by an entire rice paddy, rather than the individual plants that were monitored in the field test.