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Rice serves as the staple food for more than half of the world's population, but it's also the one of the largest humanmade sources of atmospheric methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Now, with the addition of a single gene, rice can be cultivated to emit virtually no methane from its paddies during growth. It also packs much more of the plant's desired properties, such as starch for a richer food source and biomass for energy production, according to a study in Nature.
With their warm, waterlogged soils, rice paddies contribute up to 17 percent of global methane emissions, the equivalent of about 100 million tons each year. While this represents a much smaller percentage of overall greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide, methane is about 20 times more effective at trapping heat. SUSIBA2 rice, as the new strain is dubbed, is the first high-starch, low-methane rice that could offer a significant and sustainable solution.
Researchers created SUSIBA2 rice by introducing a single gene from barley into common rice, resulting in a plant that can better feed its grains, stems and leaves while starving off methane-producing microbes in the soil.
"Researchers created SUSIBA2 rice by introducing a single gene from barley into common rice." So, does it ferment to sake, or beer?
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 30 2015, @07:42PM
Indeed. Its getting harder and harder to maximize profits because I can't exploit my workers. I used to be able to withhold overtime, no lunch or breaks, 12-16 hour work days. I paid those ungrateful bastards what I thought they were worth. Not what some pencil neck commie thinks they are worth. Used to even be able to pay a nigger less money than a white man and they'd keep their mouth shut and say "thank you master". I'd fill my whole plant with niggers and have a few whites watch to crack the whip over those lazy monkeys. Chinks are also cheap workers and you can pack em into dorms, 20 to a room in cramped bunk beds like a prison. And they still say thank you. I also have to pay for safety equipment. What an insult. If some yahoo gets killed in my plant then there are a hundred, perhaps even a thousand looking to take their place. It's a *privilege to work for me* so why should I worry about their safety again? If they are so worried then let them buy their own equipment. And health insurance, are you kidding me? The nerve of some people. Let them buy their own. I also can't dump or bury my toxic waste anymore either. Used to be we ran our runoff right into the river. Not like I eat the fish out of it. That's for the poor. Now we have to pay to have our toxic waste hauled away and disposed of properly. Used to dig a big hole and burn the solid waste too. And don't get me started about all of greenhouse gases and other harmful emissions. So what some little spic kid got asthma because he lives in a shack next to my smoke stacks. Too bad I say. Go move somewhere else if you don't like it.
No wonder I moved my factories to third world hell holes. They are more in line with the good old days: worker abuse, slave wages, no environmental laws, etc. A place where a man can run his business as he sees fit. The USA and other rich nations ain't going to be rich much longer if they keep on legislating the businesses off shore.