Biotech Updates

Research Reveals Warming Nighttime Temperatures Reduce Rice Quality in East Asia

December 11, 2024

Researchers from China's Shaanxi Normal University led by Dr. Xianfeng Liu have published a new study highlighting a decline in rice quality in East Asia, particularly China and Japan, brought about by changing temperatures.

Dr. Xianfeng Liu and colleagues used data collected over 35 years to explore the patterns in rice quality from Japan and China based on head rice rate (HRR). HRR is a portion of milled rice kernels that retain 75% of their length after milling, during which the husk and bran are removed.

The team explored different climate variables to ascertain which had the greatest effect on HRR, including nighttime temperature, daytime temperature, diurnal temperature, daily average temperature, hot days (above 30/35°C), precipitation, precipitation frequency, soil moisture, solar radiation, cloud cover, relative humidity, daytime vapor pressure deficit, transpiration, and carbon dioxide concentration.

The scientists found that nighttime temperatures affect rice quality. As nighttime temperatures become warmer, a critical threshold for decline begins at 12°C and 18°C for Japan and China, respectively. When flowering and grain growth occur in such conditions, rates of photosynthesis and starch accumulation in the grain decrease, leading to lower rice quality as more grains are susceptible to breakage. The researchers also reveal that the negative impact of climate change on rice quality is going to be harsher in China than in Japan.

For more details about this study, download the paper published in the open-access journal Geophysical Research Letters.


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