Achieving Multiple Sustainable Intensification Goals through Alternate Wetting and Drying in Rice Systems.

Rice provides more calories to the human diet than any other crop. Rice systems are also major contributors to GHG emissions – in particular due to high CH4 emissions. Alternate-wetting-and-drying (AWD) practices introduce aerobic cycles into the rice growing season and can reduce CH4 emissions by over 90%. In order to ensure N2O emissions remain low, drying cycles need to be closely linked with fertilizer N management. These systems can also reduce water use in rice by up to 30% and reduce arsenic uptake by rice. How to achieve these goals, while also maintain rice yields will be discussed.