Comparison of soil acetate concentrations and methane producton, transport, and emission in two rice cultivars

The amount of methane emitted from irrigated rice paddies is dependent on the variety of rice grown. In this study we examined two varieties of rice with differing methane emission rates to determine if the primary mechanism for these differences was related to transport processes or the rate of methane production. The cultivars used were Mars and Lemont, with 1994 seasonal emissions of 34 and 18 g m−2, respectively. Seasonal methane emission and soil acetate concentration data were measured weekly over two seasons in both varieties. In addition, gas transport through the two rice varieties was investigated in both field and laboratory experiments in 1995. We found no significant differences in gas transport between the two varieties. However, significant differences between the two varieties were detected in the soil acetate concentrations during the vegetative growth stage. Mars exhibited higher seasonal methane emissions and higher soil acetate concentrations than Lemont. This suggests that the intervarietal differences in methane emissions are the result of different soil substrate levels and hence different rates of methane production. The turnover time of soil acetate was found to be small, about 1 hour in the last half of the season. Calculations of methane oxidation, using two methods, support previous findings that the fraction of methane oxidized in the soil prior to emission increases from 10 to 30% before heading to 30–70% after heading.