A strategy for reducing methane emission using hybrid rice variety

Abstract

Hybrid rice varieties are widely cultivated in the farmer because of high yield production compared to inbred variety. However, the agronomic traits supported to the high yield are expected to release GHG emission. Therefore, a study to investigate the effect of hybrid rice varieties on reducing methane emission in flooded rice filed was conducted at Indonesia Agriculture Environment Research Institute. Eight commercial hybrid rice varieties, namely Mapan 05, Arize Gold, Intani, Sembada 168, Sembada 868, Hipa 8, Hipa 18 and Hipa 19 and one inbred rice variety (Ciherang) were used for this study during the dry season of 2018. All rice varieties were cultivated by transplanting system on 21 days old seedling with 20 cm x 20 cm plant spacing, fertilizer doses are 120 kg ha-1 N, 45 kg ha-1 P2O5 and 60 kg ha-1 K2O. The water level was maintained on 5 cm above the soil layer. Methane gas was capture using a closed chamber method and analyzed using Gas Chromatography (GC). The study showed that seven of hybrid rice varieties produced higher methane emission than inbred rice variety. The highest methane emission was produced by Arize Gold (660 kg CH4 ha-1 season-1) followed by Mapan 05, Hipa 8, Hipa 19, Hipa 18, Sembada 168 and Sembada 989. While the inbred rice variety (Ciherang) produced 370 kg CH4 ha-1 season-1. One of hybrid rice variety (Sembada 168) has the opportunity to be improved as low methane emission hybrid rice variety indicated from the low index of CH4 emission to yield.