Enhanced iron reduction by iron supplement: A strategy to reduce methane emission from paddies

As an option for mitigating methane emissions from rice paddies the effects of ferrihydrite application to an experimental field plot at the beginning of the growth season was studied. Methane emissions during the vegetation period of rice were significantly lower (50%) in the fertilized plot compared to the non-supplemented control plot. Although toxic effects of iron are known to occur with wetland plants including rice, our field experiment showed no deterioration of agrophysiological data. Grain yield, harvest index, and iron content of grains were not different in the two plots. Therefore, we propose that iron application is a suitable strategy to reduce methane emission from rice paddies.