Advances in Climate-Resilient and Low-Emission Rice Agronomy: Stress-Tolerant Varieties, Water-Smart Practices, and Direct-Seeded Systems
N. Anthony Baite
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh - 791112, India and Department of Agronomy, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh - 221005, India.
Lenmem Yosung *
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh - 791112, India.
Toko Manna
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh - 791112, India.
Nitin Yadav
Department of Horticulture, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh - 221005, India.
Basant Kumar Dadrwal
Department of Plant physiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi- 221005, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Climate change poses escalating risks to rice production through rising temperatures, water scarcity, increased salinity, and frequent extreme weather events. Developing climate-resilient and low-emission rice systems is therefore essential for sustaining yields and strengthening global food security. This manuscript synthesizes recent advances in stress-tolerant rice varieties, water-smart agronomy, direct-seeded systems, and greenhouse-gas mitigation strategies. Drought, salinity, heat, and cold-tolerant cultivars demonstrate significant potential to stabilize productivity across diverse stress-prone environments, supported by multi-omics tools and targeted breeding. Water-efficient practices including aerobic rice, alternate wetting and drying, and integrated water–fertilizer management enhance water productivity while reducing labor and input costs. Direct-seeded rice emerges as a viable alternative to puddled transplanted systems, offering major reductions in water use, energy demand, and carbon footprint when supported by appropriate varieties and weed-management strategies. Finally, a mechanistic understanding of methane and nitrous oxide dynamics highlights how water regimes govern trade-offs between CH4 suppression and N2O generation. Together, these innovations form a framework for transforming rice cultivation into a climate-resilient, resource-efficient, and low-emission production system.
Keywords: Aerobic rice cultivation, climate resilient rice, climate smart agriculture, low emission rice system