Infrared Heater Array to Simulate High Emission Scenario in the Open-Field Rice Paddies.

Recent findings indicate that asymmetric rise in temperature and rice (Oryza sativa L.) in China suffered serious yield losses in 2003 when extreme high temperature hampered rice production. Climate change induced extreme and asymmetrical fluctuations in temperature have been frequently hampering rice production in Yangtze River Valley. In order to determine how severe such a threat may, a warming facility is needed for paddy fields to mimic a global warming scenario based on asymmetric changes in temperature. Therefore, a facility to simulate such temperature changes by the end of this century was designed, and constructed for paddy fields of China. Infrared heaters were installed to increase daytime/nighttime canopy temperature by 2.7°C/5.7°C (day-time/night-time). The rice canopy temperatures were measured using infrared thermometers connected to a datalogger.  The datalogger was connected to current/voltage output modules and dimmers which modulated the output of the heaters. A proportional integrative derivative (PID) program in the datalogger maintained a diurnally asymmetric degree of warming. Safety precautions enabled the system to be used in well irrigated paddy fields. This infrared heating system could safely be used in open paddy rice fields, and it provided warming of the rice canopies with minimum alteration in other microclimatic variables such as occurs with chamber techniques. Through this facility, the impacts of predicted warming on paddy field ecosystem processes and functions can be safely studied under open field conditions. Danyang Free-air Temperature Enhancement facility will assist us comprehend future of rice in China.