Traditional methods of rice production, include transplanting rice seedlings into water-filled rice paddies, damages the soil and releases large quantities of methane gas, a potent greenhouse gas which is contributing to recent warming of the earth’s climate. It is estimated that rice production produces 20% of all man-made sources of methane.
A recent study published by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation shows that direct seeding of rice into fields would significantly cut the release of methane as well as improve soils by cutting the time that they are underwater. You can read about it at https://climatenewsnetwork.net/rice-puddling-raises-methane-threat/.
