2001 年 16 巻 4 号 p. 197-205
In flooded rice fields, methanogenic archaea produce CH4, while methanotrophic bacteria oxidize a part of the produced CH4. Thus, the latter bacteria are considered as suitable organisms for controlling CH4 emission from paddy fields. In this paper, the author demonstrates a case of organic matter application, enumeration and isolation of methanogenic archaea and methanotrophic bacteria in a subtropical paddy field. The rice rhizosphere is one of the typical areas where anaerobic and aerobic environments interface, methanogens produce CH4 and methanotrophs utilize it for energy. Although how they interact in the anaerobic and aerobic interfaces is an attractive research area, it has not yet been fully elucidated, because a two-member co-culture of methanogen and methanotroph is not well developed. Co-culture of a strictly anaerobic methanogenic archaeon and an obligately aerobic methanotrophic bacterium using sterilized paddy soil was carried out. The rice root system affects CH4 production and oxidation in the rice rhizosphere, and its influence varies with different rice cultivars. Rice cultivars with few unproductive tillers, a small root system, high root oxidative activity, and high harvest index are ideal for mitigating CH4 emission in paddy fields.
