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Abstract

Climate change poses a serious threat to global food security, with rice cultivation emerging as both a contributor to and a victim of this crisis. This review article explores the mechanisms behind greenhouse gas emissions from rice fields, focusing on microbial processes such as methanogenesis and denitrification, and highlights the mitigation strategies that balance productivity with environmental sustainability. The study emphasizes that water and fertilizer management are pivotal levers for reducing emissions. Techniques like Alternate Wetting and Drying, mid-season drainage, and controlled irrigation have shown promise in cutting methane emissions by up to 90%, though they may increase nitrous oxide emissions, necessitating careful trade-off management. Fertilizer innovations including enhanced efficiency fertilizers, nitrification inhibitors, and nano fertilizers offer further avenues for emission reduction while improving nitrogen use efficiency. Beyond agronomic practices, the selection of rice cultivars such as low-emission, high-yielding, and genetically engineered varieties demonstrate significant potential in reducing methane and nitrous oxide emissions. Additionally, rice straw management through composting, biochar production, and avoiding open-field burning can drastically lower the carbon footprint of rice farming. Microbial innovations, such as inoculating rice with methane-oxidizing bacteria or using plant microbial fuel cells, further enhance mitigation efforts. Despite these advances, challenges remain in scaling these solutions due to socio-economic constraints, regional variability and farmer adoption barriers.