Effect of Florpyrauxifen-Benzyl on Methane-Metabolizing Microbial Community in Rice Rhizosphere Soil

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Microbiology
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Rice paddies are a major source of anthropogenic methane emissions.
• The impact of florpyrauxifen-benzyl, a new herbicide, on these emissions and associated microbial communities is largely unknown.
• Investigating herbicide effects on methane metabolism is crucial for sustainable agriculture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the effects of florpyrauxifen-benzyl on methane-metabolizing microorganisms in rice paddy fields.
• To assess whether herbicide overapplication influences methane emissions.
• To identify key microbial players involved in methane metabolism under herbicide stress.

Main Methods:

• High-throughput sequencing of functional genes involved in methane metabolism.
• Application of florpyrauxifen-benzyl at increasing concentrations.
• Validation using quantitative fluorescence PCR.
• Co-occurrence network analysis and random forest modeling.

Main Results:

• Florpyrauxifen-benzyl application at five times the recommended dose significantly increased methane emissions.
• Herbicide application led to a more complex network structure in the methanogenic community.
• Specific genera including *Methylocystis*, *Methylosinus*, *Methanolobus*, *Methanosphaera*, and *Methanococcoides* were identified as key players.

Conclusions:

• Overapplication of florpyrauxifen-benzyl can significantly elevate methane emissions from rice paddies.
• The herbicide alters the structure and stability of methane-metabolizing microbial communities.
• Understanding these microbial shifts is essential for managing herbicide use and mitigating methane release.