Controlling light quality and intensity can reduce N 2 O and CO 2 emissions of mature aging rice

N 2 O, CO 2 , and CH 4 are important greenhouse gases (GHGs) in paddy fields, and rice plants play an important role in GHG emissions in paddy fields. However, the relationship between light and rice plant GHG emissions is unclear. In this study, we monitored N 2 O, CO 2 , and CH 4 emissions of mature aging rice under different light qualities and intensities. The results showed that (i) under natural sunlight, the rice phyllosphere N 2 O emission rate was 22.94 μg pot-super-–1 h-super-–1, accounting for 60% of the whole rice plant total N 2 O‐N evaporation loss. The CO 2 emission rates from the phyllosphere and the root system were 27.82 mg pot-super-–1 h-super-–1 and 8.02 mg pot-super-–1 h-super-–1, respectively. However, no CH 4 net emission effects were observed. (ii) Under a constant LED monocolor light intensity (1600 Lux), red, blue, and white light can inhibit N 2 O and CO 2 emissions from the rice phyllosphere, resulting in lower emissions than yellow light. White light can also inhibit N 2 O and CO 2 emissions from rice roots. (iii) Within the range of 0‒6000 Lux, increases in light intensity can reduce rice phyllosphere CO 2 emissions, but such increases also promote N 2 O emissions from the rice phyllosphere and the roots. In contrast, natural sunlight can promote rice phyllosphere N 2 O and CO 2 emissions and can inhibit root N 2 O emissions. The measure of light control may be the key to low‐carbon technology for GHG emission reductions in mature paddy ecosystems. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd