In Some Rice Varieties, Genes Fuel Fast Growth When the Water Pours In.

So-called deepwater rice varieties have a special ability: when the going gets tough, the rice gets growing. The stems elongate rapidly as the paddy floods, keeping the top of the plant above the water, even to depths of 10 feet or more. The elongated, hollow stems act as a snorkel of sorts, allowing gas exchange between the plant tissues and the atmosphere. This kind of rice is useful in areas where the flooding of paddies is difficult to control. But deepwater varieties do not yield as much rice as some other varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]