title: Terrestrial plant methane production and emission.
abstract: In this minireview, we evaluate all experimental work published on the phenomenon of aerobic methane (CH(4) ) generation in terrestrial plants and plant. Clearly, despite much uncertainty and skepticism, we conclude that the phenomenon is true. Four stimulating factors have been observed to induce aerobic plant CH(4)  production, i.e. cutting injuries, increasing temperature, ultraviolet radiation and reactive oxygen species. Further, we analyze rates of measured emission of aerobically produced CH(4)  in pectin and in plant tissues from different studies and argue that pectin is very far from the sole contributing precursor. In consequence, scaling up of aerobic CH(4)  emission needs to take into consideration other potential sources than pectin. Due to the large uncertainties related to effects of stimulating factors, genotypic responses and type of precursors, we conclude that current attempts for upscaling aerobic CH(4)  into a global budget is inadequate. Thus it is too early to draw the line under the aerobic methane emission in plants. Future work is needed for establishing the relative contribution of several proven potential CH(4)  precursors in plant material.
authors.affiliation: Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, Technical university of Denmark, Biosystems Division, BIO-309, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark. dabr@risoe.dtu.dk
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bruhn
authors.forename: Ian M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Møller
authors.forename: Teis N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Mikkelsen
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ambus
mesh_terms: D017753:Ecosystem; D008697:Methane / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010368:Pectins / Q000737:chemistry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D018526:Plant Transpiration; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000737:chemistry; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013696:Temperature; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D010368:Pectins; D008697:Methane