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HEIndividual fellowship2023–2025

SmartRoots · Smart roots for reducing greenhouse gases emissions from rice cropping

Horizon Europe — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2023-01-15 → 2025-01-14
EU contribution
€230,774
Participants
2
Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Smart roots for reducing greenhouse gases emissions from rice cropping

Rice production is the main agricultural source of greenhouse gases (GHGs), including carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4). The GHGs are produced and accumulated in rice paddies (flooded soils), and can be vented out to atmosphere via slow diffusion in the flooded soil, ebullition of large bubbles, or primarily via plant-mediated diffusion. The proportion of CH4 emitted via plant tissues accounts for up to 90% of total emissions from the rice cropping system. However, information on the plant characteristics influencing such GHGs emission is scarce. The anatomical, physiological, and morphological characteristics that limit GHGs diffusion from rhizosphere to and along the roots, as well as the venting of these GHGs into the atmosphere, are largely unknown. The overarching objective of this project was to uncover the root characteristics that restrict GHG diffusion through rice roots. This objective was pursued by identifying traits of rice shoots and roots that can reduce both the venting of GHGs through plant tissues from soils to atmosphere and the production of GHGs in soils (oxidation of CH4 to CO2). It can be concluded that the shoots of rice do not present a major resistance to CH4 diffusion; instead, the roots are the primary sites that impede the diffusion of CH4 from the medium into the plants. Specific phenotypic variations in root characteristic exist among rice varieties and could potentially be exploited to develop high yielding cultivars with reduced GHG emissions.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

Rice production is the main agricultural source of greenhouse gases (i.e., carbon dioxide; CO2, nitrous oxide; N2O and methane; CH4). Scientific evidence suggest that greenhouse gases (GHGs) produced and accumulated in rice paddies (flooded soils) can be vented out to atmosphere through plant tissues. However, information on the plant characteristics influencing such GHGs emission processes is scarce. The mechanisms of GHGs diffusion from rhizosphere to and along the roots and the vent of these GHGs to atmosphere as well as the permeability coefficient of roots to GHGs are largely unknown. This project aims to identify characteristics of rice roots that reduce both the vent of GHGs through plant tissues from soils to atmosphere (through root apoplastic barriers) and the production of GHGs in soils (oxidation of CH4 to CO2). Moreover, this project will study the root permeability to GHGs and the anatomical and chemical characteristics contributing to GHGs diffusion through plants. This project will use a multidisciplinary approach combining state-of-the-art physiological measurements including microsensing technology (for in vivo gas fluxes), gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and microscopy characterization of plant tissues. It is hypothesized that genotypes with tight barriers to radial oxygen loss will have less permeability to GHGs. Moreover, genotypes with no barriers to radial oxygen loss, high number of laterals and an efficient roots system for O2 transport will allow high CH4 oxidation to CO2, thus reducing the venting of this potent GHG to atmosphere. This project will identify root phenotypic differences among rice cultivars and this will serve as a basis for developing high yielding cultivars with desirable traits reducing GHGs emissions from flooded soils.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET · KOBENHAVNCoordinatorDenmark
  • Unisense Environment A/S · Aarhus NDenmark

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union