The Rural Development Administration announced on the 22nd the research result that climate change, with higher temperatures and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, may speed up the growth of rice but reduce the quantity and quality of rice. The test results showed that as temperatures rise, the time for rice to ripen is 3 to 7 days earlier than usual. In an environment where the temperature is 2.9 degrees higher than usual, an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration led to more active photosynthesis, resulting in a 9.45% increase in the dry weight of rice plants compared to usual. [Provided by the Rural Development Administration. Resale and database prohibited] (Jeonju=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Jin-bang = The Rural Development Administration announced on the 22nd the research result that climate change, with higher temperatures and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, may speed up the growth of rice but reduce the quantity and quality of rice. The Rural Development Administration used the outdoor environmental control research facility (SPAR), which can precisely control soil, plant, and atmospheric environments, to simulate the impact of mid-21st-century climate conditions on rice growth and productivity. The test results showed that as temperatures rise, the time for rice to ripen is 3 to 7 days earlier than usual. In an environment where the temperature is 2.9 degrees higher than usual (carbon dioxide concentration 537 ppm), an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration led to more active photosynthesis, resulting in a 9.45% increase in the dry weight of rice plants (rice growth) compared to usual. However, the increase in growth did not necessarily lead to an increase in rice quantity. The quantity decreased by about 9.5% because the rice ripened too quickly. The decline in rice quality was also significant. The ratio of fully ripened grains decreased by about 4% compared to usual, and the ratio of cracked grains increased by 3.5%. The amount of methane emitted from rice paddies also increased by about 52.1% compared to usual. Kim Chun-song, Director of the Breeding Physiology Division at the National Institute of Crop Science, said, "We are comprehensively analyzing the impact of climate change on rice growth, quantity, and quality" and "We will develop cultivation technology to reduce high-temperature damage and greenhouse gas reduction technology together to establish a foundation for stable rice production."