Methanogenic bacteria, methanogenesis and methane emission from rice paddies

Methane is an important greenhouse gas and controls several chemical processes and species in the troposphere and stratosphere. A group of anaerobic bacteria, the methanogens, which occur in a wide variety of habitats, produce CH4 as a product of their catabolism. Methanogenesis is a complex process and is affected by several abiotic and biotic factors. The presence of methanogens, other cooperating micro-organisms, anaerobic conditions, and rice plants as conduit for transferring CH 4 formed in the anaerobic environment to the atmosphere, make rice paddies an important source of CH4 for the atmosphere. However, the current estimates of global emission of CH4 from rice paddies need to be substantially reduced. There is an indication that global methane emission is only in the range of 7.34-27.81 Tg yr−1