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China Invents Rice Growable in Salt Water


ExpandMyMind

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Scientists in China succeeded in growing the yield of a strain of saltwater-tolerant rice nearly three times their expectation.

In the spring months, over 200 types of rice were planted at the Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice Research and Development Center in Qingdao, a coastal city in eastern China’s Shandong Province. Seawater from the Yellow Sea was pumped, diluted and channeled into the rice paddies.

https://nextshark.com/china-invents-rice-can-grow-salt-water-can-feed-200-million-people/

I may be having a brain fart of sorts here but is this not possibly one of the most important scientific advancements of this century? Imagine an end to famine caused by drought. Imagine if it can be applied to other crops.

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Kinda the Holy Grail of the Rice producing regions ...

~

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That sounds pretty legit 

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35 minutes ago, third_eye said:

Kinda the Holy Grail of the Rice producing regions ...

~

Yeah. The NK people are currently experiencing another famine, if I remember correctly, as has happened numerous times over the past few decades. This could provide an answer for regions like that once the production costs come down quite a bit.

Can you imagine if it could be adapted to other crops though? One of the main problems with meat production is that it takes 4,200 gallons of water to produce a single pound of beef. That is an incredible waste of fresh water. If animal feed could be grown using this process it would be incredibly beneficial to the entire planet.

Maybe in the future we'll see hydroponic sea farms? Then not only would the fresh water problem be largely addressed, but so also the massive problem we have with the dwindling arable land needed to feed livestock. 

Edited by ExpandMyMind
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1 hour ago, ExpandMyMind said:

Can you imagine if it could be adapted to other crops though? One of the main problems with meat production is that it takes 4,200 gallons of water to produce a single pound of beef. That is an incredible waste of fresh water. If animal feed could be grown using this process it would be incredibly beneficial to the entire planet.

Though I agree with the beneficial aspects of this particular breakthrough my optimism is somewhat muted due to the expected costly aspects of the problem. Arable land is already at a premium and what is not arable (due to pollution and chemical toxicity) will not produce the volumes that will make much of a difference.

If there is anywhere on the planet that will prove to be advantageous for this will be the Coastal Desert areas or the Middle East ... ironic isn't it ?

~

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Soon we will all eat more rice and rice products :) This kind of research should be top priority because effects of overpopulation can be seen already. Also, all those chickens and cows, pigs and crabs... Maybe we'll start to consume less of those and lower production in that industry ( one can only hope ) which, in turn, will result in healthier environment.

Meat production accounts for almost 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions ( 2013 study, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN ). 

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Big Industrial Meat Production is the problem and the causes, scattered small farms or designated animal farms are actually beneficial to most and all regions, but of course in terms of Profits and Financial Returns its not so agreeable ...

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7 minutes ago, third_eye said:

Big Industrial Meat Production is the problem and the causes, scattered small farms or designated animal farms are actually beneficial to most and all regions, but of course in terms of Profits and Financial Returns its not so agreeable ...

It's terrible actually and profits dictate all. Overproduction, which leads to waste of a lot of processed food would also be considered if it would make profits. Actually, it might already be evident at some markets. 

In this profit driven world China's achievement in rice production sounds unreal.

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43 minutes ago, Sir Smoke aLot said:

 

Meat production accounts for almost 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions ( 2013 study, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN ). 

I recently read that the methane produced by cows has actually been severely underestimated, so it could be even more than 15%.

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This is report from 2006, '' Livestock long shadow : environmental issues and options '' and in there it is stated that :

"the livestock sector is a major stressor on many ecosystems and on the planet as a whole. Globally it is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gasses and one of the leading causal factors in the loss of biodiversity, while in developed and emerging countries it is perhaps the leading source of water pollution ''.

As noted at this Wikipedia page.

So, overall it surely is higher if we assume that industry has grown a lot since 2006 and this report by UN FAO.

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15 minutes ago, Sir Smoke aLot said:

This is report from 2006, '' Livestock long shadow : environmental issues and options '' and in there it is stated that :

"the livestock sector is a major stressor on many ecosystems and on the planet as a whole. Globally it is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gasses and one of the leading causal factors in the loss of biodiversity, while in developed and emerging countries it is perhaps the leading source of water pollution ''.

As noted at this Wikipedia page.

So, overall it surely is higher if we assume that industry has grown a lot since 2006 and this report by UN FAO.

The report I'm talking bout was from like last week or something and I think it had to do with the actual method of measuring. After a quick Google:

Quote

Emissions of the greenhouse gas methane from livestock are larger than previously thought, posing an additional challenge in the fight to curb global warming, scientists have said.

Revised calculations of methane produced per head of cattle show that global livestock emissions in 2011 were 11% higher than estimates based on data from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC).

Periodic reports by the IPCC, drawing from thousands of scientists, help leaders take action on climate change, which has begun to wreak havoc on weather around the world.

“In many regions, livestock numbers are changing, and breeding has resulted in larger animals with higher intakes of food,” said Julie Wolf, a researcher in the US Department of Agriculture and the lead author of a study in the journal Carbon Balance and Management.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/29/methane-emissions-cattle-11-percent-higher-than-estimated

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Problem is at alarming level for long time now and surely nothing was done to prevent further problems since 2006 report. As noted in article you shared, methane production alone can jeopardize Paris climate deal and where is oil industry etc.

Absurd deal or what...

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4 hours ago, third_eye said:

Though I agree with the beneficial aspects of this particular breakthrough my optimism is somewhat muted due to the expected costly aspects of the problem. Arable land is already at a premium and what is not arable (due to pollution and chemical toxicity) will not produce the volumes that will make much of a difference.

If there is anywhere on the planet that will prove to be advantageous for this will be the Coastal Desert areas or the Middle East ... ironic isn't it ?

~

Yes, pollution in China is quite high.  Due to manufacturing moving from the USA to the cheaper work force in China, we have to get most of our raw materials from China.  Many of our suppliers are being shut down due to the pollution.  Some just for a few months but others permanently. It would be a bit expensive in the long run, but the water could be filtered through activated carbon beds to clean it up.  There are other purification methods that may be needed such as flocculating the water before the carbon bed.  Basically you make a big fish tank filter.. 

 

But to get back to the main subject, do you need to add salt to it when you cook the rice?B) 

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Sounds like a major breakthrough.

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Just now, paperdyer said:

Yes, pollution in China is quite high.  Due to manufacturing moving from the USA to the cheaper work force in China, we have to get most of our raw materials from China.  Many of our suppliers are being shut down due to the pollution.  Some just for a few months but others permanently. It would be a bit expensive in the long run, but the water could be filtered through activated carbon beds to clean it up.  There are other purification methods that may be needed such as flocculating the water before the carbon bed.  Basically you make a big fish tank filter.. 

I think in terms of a border less globe, looking at the polluted coastlines all along every region its apparently clear that just being near to the sea isn't as simple as drawing the lines here or there, there is also those prime real estate areas where developers won't cede over for Agro purposes. No offense here but the costs of constructing and maintaining that tank filter just defeats the purpose of the whole endeavor if not the idea.

 

Just now, paperdyer said:

 

But to get back to the main subject, do you need to add salt to it when you cook the rice?B) 

I have heard of those that do but for myself personally I never do, since we compliment a meal of rice with a lot of dishes, there is just no need.

:yes:

~

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16 minutes ago, third_eye said:

 

 

I have heard of those that do but for myself personally I never do, since we compliment a meal of rice with a lot of dishes, there is just no need.

:yes:

~

He meant because it's grown in salt water :D 

And you should always season rice or pasta in my opinion but being from Malaysia I guess you'd know best. 

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Ah, seasoning... just now getting into that (besides the common salt and pepper)

 

 

 

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6 hours ago, ExpandMyMind said:

He meant because it's grown in salt water :D 

Ahhhh ... that never occurred to me, now I am wondering if the rice will taste drastically different :lol:

 

6 hours ago, ExpandMyMind said:

And you should always season rice or pasta in my opinion but being from Malaysia I guess you'd know best. 

I wouldn't say we know best but that's just the way we likes it I guess ... :tu:

~

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Sounds to good to be true.

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great achievement by the scientists. rice is a staple food of most Asian countries and takes up lots of water to cultivate, hope they make this strain freely or cheaply available. 

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On ‎10‎/‎24‎/‎2017 at 0:43 PM, third_eye said:

I think in terms of a border less globe, looking at the polluted coastlines all along every region its apparently clear that just being near to the sea isn't as simple as drawing the lines here or there, there is also those prime real estate areas where developers won't cede over for Agro purposes. No offense here but the costs of constructing and maintaining that tank filter just defeats the purpose of the whole endeavor if not the idea.

 

I have heard of those that do but for myself personally I never do, since we compliment a meal of rice with a lot of dishes, there is just no need.

:yes:

~

Hi 3rd Eye - No offense taken.  Using a carbon treatment can be expensive but when you're hungry and thirsty the cost doesn't seem quite as bad.  Necessity is the Mother of invention. Some other break through might found while looking for ways to make carbon filtration more economical.

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After reading the comments on the OP link.... It seems the Chinese did not "invent" this rice, but took salt tolerant specimens that already existed and have tried using good old agriculture time tested practices and tried to breed a variety that produces larger yields.

Still is good progress.

On 10/24/2017 at 5:01 AM, third_eye said:

If there is anywhere on the planet that will prove to be advantageous for this will be the Coastal Desert areas or the Middle East ... ironic isn't it ?

Maybe after the ocean sea levels rise? Lots of area that are barely above sea level will then be prime rice country. :o

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