Relationships between methane production and emission to lacunal methane concentrations in rice

Abstract

We measured lacunal methane concentrations in field‐grown rice plants as a correlative to both methane production and emissions. Using a gas‐tight syringe, 100‐μL samples were withdrawn from plant lacunar spaces below the water level and diluted to provide enough volume for analysis by gas chromatography. Lacunal methane concentrations increased throughout the season and, for each sampling date, were usually significantly higher in the cultivars Mars and Cypress (high emitters) when compared with Lemont and Della (low emitters). The field site influenced lacunal methane concentrations, wherein greater lacunal methane concentrations corresponded with greater methane. Methane emission rates were positively correlated with plant lacunal methane concentrations for each cultivar, with an improvement in the relationship during the preheading season. With increases in methane production determined by emissions following field‐induced anoxia, lacunal methane concentrations increased accordingly. Lacunal methane concentrations also clearly increased as plant biomass increased, but the relationship depended on field location, which also influenced emissions. Sampling lacunal methane concentrations of rice plants, although labor intensive, is quite flexible, using little field equipment, and may provide an effective alternative to large‐scale flux measurements in areas not easily accessible.