• Researchers at the MACS (Maharashtra Association for the Cultivation of Science) Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) in Western India's wetlands, rice fields, and Vetal Tekdi found Methylocucumis oryzae, the first native methane-eating bacteria in India.

• This bacterium promotes early flowering and increases rice plant yield, helping in climate mitigation by oxidizing methane. 

• Despite its unique size and slow growth rate, it poses challenges for large-scale cultivation and biotechnological applications.

• Due to its shape, this bacterium, named ‘methane-eating cucumbers’, promotes early flowering and increases yield in rice plants.

• These bacteria can reduce methane, a potent greenhouse gas, by oxidizing it, thus helping climate mitigation.  

• Methane's global warming potential is 26 times greater than that of CO2. 

• Methanotrophs help mitigate this by oxidizing methane.

• Methylocucumis oryzae is larger than most bacteria, promotes rice plant growth, and is phylogenetically unique.

• The slow growth rate of this methanotroph poses challenges for large-scale cultivation and biotechnological applications. 

• No other Methy-locucumis species has been reported from any other nation. 

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