Scientists Grow Super Rice That Laughs at Drought and Heatwaves

At the University of Nottingham, scientists are working on a project to help rice plants survive in tough conditions. They are trying to develop new types of rice that can grow even when there is not much water, which is called 'drought-resistant' rice. Rice is a main food for billions of people, and more than half of the world's population eats it every day. However, rice needs a lot of water to grow, and with the world getting hotter, it is becoming harder to grow enough rice. Professor Erik Murchie, one of the researchers, explained that if the temperature goes up by just one degree Celsius, rice harvests can drop by six percent. Heatwaves make this problem even worse.

The scientists are using special 'growth rooms' at the university to test how different rice plants react to heat and dry conditions. Professor Ranjan Swarup said these rooms let them change the temperature and water levels to see which plants do best. They are also using a micro-CT scanner to look at the roots of the rice plants without digging them up. Professor Craig Sturrock, who runs the scanner, said this helps them see if some plants have roots that grow deeper or at a better angle to find water underground. If they find plants with these good root traits, they can use them to breed new rice that is better at surviving droughts.

The Nottingham team is working with scientists and rice breeders from the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. They will test the new rice plants in real fields for three years to see how well they grow. The research is paid for by International Climate Finance, a government program that helps countries deal with climate change. The UK imports all its rice from countries like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Thailand, which are also affected by climate change. International Development Minister Jenny Chapman said that problems in the world and extreme weather are making it harder to grow enough food. This research could help make sure there is enough rice for everyone, even as the climate changes.