新型轉基因水稻可減少溫室氣體釋放量
Scientists from China, Sweden and the United States have developed a high-yielding rice that can reduce methane emissions, a major greenhouse gas blamed for global warming, from paddies。
來自中國、瑞典和美國的科學家研發了一種新型高產水稻，同時還能減少甲烷的釋放量。甲烷是水稻產生的造成全球變暖的主要溫室氣體。
By inserting a barley gene into rice, Sun Chuanxin and his colleagues created SUSIBA2 Rice, which stores more starch in the section of the rice above ground, according to a paper published on the latest issue of Nature。
發佈在最新一期《自然》雜誌上的文章介紹，通過將大麥基因植入水稻中，孫傳信及其同事研發了SUSIBA2型水稻，這種水稻將更多的澱粉儲存在根部以上的稻穗中。
This means the grains will have more starch while the root will exude less nutrients that will later be turned into methane by microbes in the soil, Sun, who works with Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, told Xinhua。
這意味着稻穀能有更多的澱粉，而減少通過根部釋放到土壤中的養分，這些養分會被土壤中的微生物轉化爲甲烷。瑞典農業科學大[微博]學華人科學家孫傳信告訴新華社。
"It solves two major problems mankind faces at one time: environmental degradation and the need for increased grain output, " Wang Feng, co-author of the paper from Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, told Xinhua。
“這樣一舉兩得：既解決了環境的惡化問題，又滿足了糧食產量增加的需求。”論文合著者、福建農業科學院王鋒告訴新華社。
Wang said the rice can cut methane discharge by more than 90 percent during summer and more than half during autumn, as "the rice displays a greater emission reduction effect in high temperatures."
王鋒稱，這種水稻在夏天能減少90%的甲烷釋放量，秋天能減少50%。“溫度越高，該水稻對甲烷的釋放量有更好的降低作用。”
Meanwhile, small-scale trials have also suggested an increased output: a single plant of the new breed has 300 more grains with a starch content 10 percent higher, Wang added。
同時，王鋒還介紹道，小規模的試驗表明還能增加產量：新型水稻每株能產300多粒稻穀，澱粉含量比常規水稻多10%。
Wang said the team is working on applications for the breed in different areas, seasons and using different farming techniques. "It’s still far away from mass application, but at least we see the light of hope."
王鋒介紹，他的團隊正在將種子應用到不同的地區、不同的季節以及使用不同的耕作方式。“目前距離大規模推廣還很遙遠，但至少看到了希望的曙光。”
Human-induced methane, though less abundant than carbon dioxide in the air, is responsible for 20 percent of the global warming effect. Rice paddies are the largest single source of methane linked to human activity。
人類活動造成的甲烷雖然在空氣中的含量不及二氧化碳，但全球溫室效應卻有20%來自甲烷。水稻則是人類活動產生甲烷最大的單一來源。
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, China produces 209 million tonnes of rice in 2014, or 28 percent of the world’s total of 734 million。
根據農業部數據，中國在2014年生產2.09億噸水稻，佔世界總產量7.23億噸的28%。
