Experiment with rice cultivation on Dutch peat soil will be continued

Last year, researchers started the first tests with rice. They worked with one type of rice from Northern Italy. The plant did grow, but the harvest was minimal. The 32 different varieties of rice planted this year have been selected from 19,000 rice varieties by GRIN-Global Plant Germplasm from the United States. These are species that are assumed to be most suitable for the climate in the Netherlands. The researchers are testing the rice because the crop grows well on flooded land and could therefore be interesting for the Netherlands. The crop could thus put a stop to peat mineralization and soil subsidence. Problems with salinization can also be limited by higher groundwater levels. In addition, the wet rice fields can provide a valuable habitat for wetland species such as amphibians and dragonflies. In addition to the experiment with the rice cultivars, research is being conducted into whether it is possible to breed catfish in the rice field. The researchers expect that the ...