{"id":60079715,"date":"2025-05-06T18:06:19","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T17:06:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/?p=60079715"},"modified":"2025-05-09T20:07:40","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T19:07:40","slug":"in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/","title":{"rendered":"In Vietnam\u2019s Mekong Delta, elusive \u2018ghost rice\u2019 holds key to climate resilience"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been so long I can barely remember. It\u2019s delicious, fragrant, soft but not sticky,\u201d says Tr\u1ea7n V\u0103n L\u1ef1a, 53, a farmer from \u0110\u1ed3ng Th\u00e1p province, south-west Vietnam, recalling the taste of wild rice. As a child, he would harvest the grain during flood season, when wild rice flowers. Today, however, it is a rare sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wild rice, known locally as \u201cghost rice\u201d (l\u00faa ma<\/em>), is the common name for Oryza rufipogon<\/em>, a perennial native to Vietnam\u2019s Mekong Delta and the ancestor of modern Asian rice (Oryza sativa<\/em>). It carries genes that confer resistance to pests like rice leaf folder moths, stem-boring insects and viral diseases like rice grassy stunt<\/a> and ragged stunt<\/a> \u2013 traits lost in modern varieties. Its high genetic diversity is a rich resource for scientists to develop new genes that are adaptive to drought, flooding, heat and acidic soils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As climate pressures mount, these qualities are proving more important than ever. Yet Vietnam, one of the species\u2019 last global refuges, is struggling to preserve it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lifeline during flood season<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the 1970s, wild rice was a lifeline during wartime and food shortages<\/a>. It thrived in the floodplains of the \u0110\u1ed3ng Th\u00e1p M\u01b0\u1eddi region, where seasonal inundation submerged fields for months. A sack of wild rice, locals say, would fetch three times the price of regular rice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once abundant, it has since become a rarity, often mistaken for \u201cweedy rice\u201d (Oryza spontanea),<\/em> an aggressive weed that produces fewer grains, which shed early, causing mass crop failures. The perception of wild rice as a weed has persisted even among international scientific circles, with the North American Plant Protection Organization<\/a> and several US states classifying<\/a> it as such.

Vietnam is home to four of the world\u2019s roughly 20 known wild rice species<\/a>: Oryza rufipogon, Oryza nivara, Oryza officinalis and Oryza granulata<\/em>. Only rufipogon<\/em> and officinalis<\/em> are still found in the Mekong Delta; nivara <\/em>was last seen in the Delta\u2019s Tr\u00e0m Chim National Park in 1980, and is now still present in H\u1ed3 L\u1eafk, a lake in central \u0110\u1eafk L\u1eafk province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/div>
A rare cluster of Oryza rufipogon<\/em>, or \u201c<\/em>ghost\u201d rice, in Tr\u00e0m Chim National Park, Vietnam. Once abundant and a crucial food source during shortages, it has since become a rarity, often mistaken for \u201cweedy rice\u201d (Image: Nam Phong \/ Mekong Eye)\u00a0<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

B\u00f9i Ch\u00ed B\u1eedu is the former director of the Institute of Agricultural Science for Southern Vietnam and one of the few Vietnamese scientists studying wild rice. He says its remarkable genetic diversity makes it ideal for breeding climate-resilient rice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wild rice grows low across wetland plains and can survive months of inundation. Its seeds can lie dormant for years, germinating only when conditions align. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harvesting it requires precision: wild rice sheds grains at the slightest breeze, so farmers often go out on their boats before dawn \u2013 when winds are calm \u2013 spreading blankets across their boats and tapping the stalks with bamboo poles to catch the falling grains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This ghostly shedding is what earned it the name l\u00faa ma<\/em> \u2013 ghost rice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is valued for its genes. \u201cWild rice possesses a highly diverse genetic foundation,\u201d B\u1eedu says. \u201cThe species contains rare genes that cultivated and native rice varieties have lost over the evolutionary pathway\u201d. These include alleles \u2013 specific gene variants \u2013 that were largely lost<\/a> during the domestication of rice and modern breeding efforts, which narrowed the gene pool by selecting only for traits like high yield or uniformity. Many of these lost genes are now recognised as critical for tolerance to climate stress and toxic metals<\/a> in acidic soils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/div>
B\u00f9i Ch\u00ed B\u1eedu, one of the few Vietnamese scientists studying wild rice, tends to Oryza officinalis<\/em> in his garden in C\u1ea7n Th\u01a1. He says that the species contains rare genes that cultivated and native rice varieties have lost over the evolutionary pathway (Image: Nam Phong \/ Mekong Eye)<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Research by B\u1eedu\u2019s team found that while cultivated rice in Vietnam has a low genetic diversity index (0.2), wild rice in the Mekong Delta ranges from 0.4 to 0.6, sometimes higher. \u201cFor a country with weak genetic diversity [of rice] like Vietnam, preserving species with rich genetic foundations is essential,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, despite resembling cultivated rice, weedy rice is genetically unstable due to crossbreeding with genetically dissimilar strains. It sheds all its grains at maturity, causing up to 60% crop loss, and spreads rapidly. Its similarity to farmed rice renders it resistant to herbicides, making it especially difficult to control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tracking a vanishing gene bank<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In his home garden in C\u1ea7n Th\u01a1, a city by the Mekong Delta, B\u1eedu tends to several wild rice species collected from across southern Vietnam.

Wild rice is remarkably resilient, but not invincible. To keep them alive, he must propagate the plants every few years. \u201cEven as a perennial, if left alone, they will exhaust themselves and die,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On-farm conservation \u2013 where plants are cultivated and selected in open fields rather than labs \u2013 is a low-cost method used in Vietnam and parts of Africa, but it comes with risks. Plants are vulnerable to cross-pollination and small gene pools can collapse with a single failed generation.

A more secure backup lies at the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute (MDRRI), also in C\u1ea7n Th\u01a1, where hundreds of pots of wild rice are maintained alongside a small seed bank. The institute stores 600 samples of Oryza rufipogon<\/em> and Oryza officinalis<\/em> in cold storage and net houses \u2013 screened structures that regulate sunlight and pest exposure. To preserve viability, seeds are periodically revived, grown and re-stored to prevent the gradual loss of germination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"A<\/div>
In the net house of the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute, hundreds of pots of wild rice are cultivated (Image: Nam Phong \/ Mekong Eye)<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"Two<\/div>
Two wild rice varieties, Oryza officinalis <\/em>and Oryza rufipogon<\/em>, are currently stored in the gene bank of the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute, but funding has become a problem (Image: Nam Phong \/ Mekong Eye)<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n


However, institutional seed banks face funding challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn the past, funding for our gene bank came entirely from the Plant Resources Center, which supported cold storage and seed rejuvenation,\u201d says Tr\u1ea7n Ng\u1ecdc Th\u1ea1ch, the institute\u2019s director. \u201cBut now, we fund the cold storage ourselves, so preservation is less than ideal.\u201d

There are two main strategies for conserving wild rice: ex-situ, through storage in seed banks, and in-situ, conserving the plants in their natural habitats. While gene banks safeguard genetic material, they halt natural evolution. In-situ conservation, on the other hand, allows species to continue adapting to changing conditions.<\/span><\/span>

Elsewhere, wild rice remains a low priority. The Indigenous Rice Gene Bank at C\u1ea7n Th\u01a1 University is among the few better-funded preservation facilities in the country, with around 5,000 samples. But its focus is on seasonal, lowland and rain-fed varieties from the Mekong Delta \u2013 none of them wild.

\u201cWild rice seeds require special regeneration conditions, which we are not prioritising due to limited funding and manpower,\u201d says Nguy\u1ec5n Th\u00e0nh T\u00e2m, head of agricultural development at the MDRRI. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In-situ conservation is widely regarded as the best way to protect and evolve the species. But it, too, is under pressure: farmers prefer high-yield hybrids, and wetland habitats are shrinking or degraded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tr\u00e0m Chim National Park, in \u0110\u1ed3ng Th\u00e1p province near Vietnam\u2019s border with Cambodia, is the country\u2019s largest in-situ wild rice conservation site and has drawn international interest for its biodiversity. The park, along with the larger province, is home to Oryza rufipogon <\/em>populations with the highest recorded genetic diversity<\/a> in the Mekong Delta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before 2015, Tr\u00e0m Chim\u2019s wild rice fields covered nearly 1,000 hectares, thriving alongside wetland species like Eleocharis dulcis<\/em> (water chestnut or n\u0103n \u1ed1ng<\/em>),<\/em> Eleocharis atropurpurea<\/em> (purple spikerush or n\u0103n kim<\/em>) and several types of native grasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"rice<\/div>
Ghost rice growing on a canal bank in Tr\u00e0m Chim National Park, near Vietnam\u2019s border with Cambodia, where it used to thrive alongside other wetland species (Image: Nam Phong \/ Mekong Eye)<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Today, park officials estimate only 520 hectares remain \u2013 half the area seen a decade ago. Pure wild rice fields, which totalled just 33 hectares in 2015, have continued to shrink. \u201cWild rice is now scattered across many areas rather than concentrated in one place,\u201d says \u0110o\u00e0n V\u0103n Nhanh, deputy director of the park\u2019s Center for Conservation and International Cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cruising through Tr\u00e0m Chim\u2019s waterways in early January, the usual blooming season for wild rice, there was little sign of the plant \u2013 only stretches of water chestnut. A few clumps of wild rice clung to levees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each year, wild rice sprouts tall as Mekong floodwaters rise, flowering at peak inundation, but patterns are changing. \u201cIt seems that this year, the flood surged and retreated unusually fast, leaving barely any wild rice,\u201d says Tr\u1ea7n V\u0103n L\u1ef1a, a local farmer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nhanh agrees. He believes erratic floods have disrupted the plant\u2019s natural cycle. Roaming cattle, often released into the park, graze on what little remains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rebuilding a habitat <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Covering just over 7,300 hectares, the national park shelters<\/a> 130 plant species, 130 freshwater fish and 231 bird species \u2013 many of them endemic. But years of mismanaged hydrology have disrupted this delicate balance. A 10-year restoration project, backed by over VND 184 billion (USD 7 million) from the \u0110\u1ed3ng Th\u00e1p Provincial People\u2019s Committee, is now underway. The Sarus Crane Conservation and Development Project<\/a> combines ecological restoration, captive breeding and organic agriculture to restore crane populations and protect the park\u2019s biodiversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/div>
A flock of sarus crane in Tr\u00e0m Chim National Park. The endangered species uses ghost rice fields as feeding and resting grounds and are now a rare sight in the area (Image: Tang A Pau)<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt Tr\u00e0m Chim, we are restoring and rehabilitating the ecosystems, with a focus on Eleocharis atropurpurea<\/em> [purple spikerush], the main food source for cranes,\u201d says Nhanh. The cranes are an indicator of wetland health, he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To prevent forest fires, park managers introduced canals and levees to maintain higher water levels year-round, altering the natural six-month cycle. Wild rice, unable to regenerate without dry periods and decomposed surface nutrients, began disappearing, including from its former stronghold on the park\u2019s eastern side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wild rice plays a critical ecological role in the Delta. Its roots, stems, leaves and seeds are a major food source for birds and fish during stressful periods like deep flooding or drought, explains D\u01b0\u01a1ng V\u0103n Ni, a biodiversity expert at Can Tho University. When wild rice disappears, the food chain unravels. Species that depend on it decline<\/a> \u2013 and eventually vanish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWater flow into the Mekong Delta no longer follows its usual patterns,\u201d says Nhanh. \u201cWith unpredictable climate and hydrological factors, we must remain flexible in how we manage the park to avoid significant losses.\u201d Water levels, he adds, are now adjusted in response to shifting rainfall patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Efforts to reverse the damage are underway. Controlled burning of grasslands was reintroduced and park staff are restoring native grasses critical to crane habitats, alongside wild rice. A five-hectare pilot plot of wild rice has shown tentative signs of recovery. A new ecological rice farming initiative<\/a>, dubbed \u201cRice calls the cranes back\u201d, has also been launched to align organic cultivation with habitat restoration. The broad goal is to convert 200 hectares to this model by 2028.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But as Mekong flood patterns grow more erratic<\/a> \u2013 driven by climate change and upstream hydropower \u2013 the long-term outlook of species like wild rice remains uncertain. Their loss would not only threaten local biodiversity, but erase genetic resources for climate-resilient agriculture across the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEach species has its own adaptation limits, and wild rice is no exception,\u201d says D\u01b0\u01a1ng. \u201cMaintaining a healthy natural ecosystem, therefore, creates the best conditions for many species. Ongoing, updated research will be essential to sustain the ecosystem as a living being.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article was co-published in English by Mekong Eye and Dialogue Earth. Versions may differ slightly due to translation and editorial adaptation.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An ancient wild rice may hold genetic secrets for climate-resilient farming \u2013 if Vietnam can save it from vanishing and neglect <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50000762,"featured_media":60079830,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[763],"tags":[17827,539,546],"hashtags":[],"country":[20028207],"class_list":["post-60079715","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food","tag-climate-adaptation","tag-endangered-species","tag-food-security","country-vietnam"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nIn Vietnam\u2019s Mekong Delta, elusive \u2018ghost rice\u2019 holds key to climate resilience | Dialogue Earth<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"An ancient wild rice may hold genetic secrets for climate-resilient farming \u2013 if Vietnam can save it from vanishing and neglect\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"In Vietnam\u2019s Mekong Delta, elusive \u2018ghost rice\u2019 holds key to climate resilience\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"An ancient wild rice may hold genetic secrets for climate-resilient farming \u2013 if Vietnam can save it from vanishing and neglect\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Dialogue Earth\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-06T17:06:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-09T19:07:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/20210102_wild-rice-seeds_Oryza-officinalis_greenhouse_Mekong-Delta-Research-Institute_Vietnam_Nam-Phong_Mekong-Eye-1200px-copy.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Quynh Le\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Quynh Le\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/c7fad0ceee81b902a5d30b60183e31d2\"},\"headline\":\"In Vietnam\u2019s Mekong Delta, elusive \u2018ghost rice\u2019 holds key to climate resilience\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-06T17:06:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-09T19:07:40+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/\"},\"wordCount\":2015,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/20210102_wild-rice-seeds_Oryza-officinalis_greenhouse_Mekong-Delta-Research-Institute_Vietnam_Nam-Phong_Mekong-Eye-1200px-copy.jpeg\",\"keywords\":[\"Climate adaptation\",\"Endangered species\",\"Food security\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Food\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/\",\"name\":\"In Vietnam\u2019s Mekong Delta, elusive \u2018ghost rice\u2019 holds key to climate resilience | Dialogue Earth\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/20210102_wild-rice-seeds_Oryza-officinalis_greenhouse_Mekong-Delta-Research-Institute_Vietnam_Nam-Phong_Mekong-Eye-1200px-copy.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-06T17:06:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-09T19:07:40+00:00\",\"description\":\"An ancient wild rice may hold genetic secrets for climate-resilient farming \u2013 if Vietnam can save it from vanishing and neglect\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/20210102_wild-rice-seeds_Oryza-officinalis_greenhouse_Mekong-Delta-Research-Institute_Vietnam_Nam-Phong_Mekong-Eye-1200px-copy.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/20210102_wild-rice-seeds_Oryza-officinalis_greenhouse_Mekong-Delta-Research-Institute_Vietnam_Nam-Phong_Mekong-Eye-1200px-copy.jpeg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":800,\"caption\":\"Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute (1).jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"In Vietnam\u2019s Mekong Delta, elusive \u2018ghost rice\u2019 holds key to climate resilience\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Dialogue Earth\",\"description\":\"Global climate and environment news\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#organization\",\"name\":\"\u5bf9\u8bdd\u5730\u7403\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Dialogue-Earth-Symbol-Logo_Black-Text.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Dialogue-Earth-Symbol-Logo_Black-Text.png\",\"width\":256,\"height\":256,\"caption\":\"\u5bf9\u8bdd\u5730\u7403\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DialogueEarth_\",\"\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DialogueEarth.English\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/dialogue.earth\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/dialogueearth\/\"],\"publishingPrinciples\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/about\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/c7fad0ceee81b902a5d30b60183e31d2\",\"name\":\"Quynh Le\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/author\/quynhle\/\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/author\/quynhle\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"In Vietnam\u2019s Mekong Delta, elusive \u2018ghost rice\u2019 holds key to climate resilience | Dialogue Earth","description":"An ancient wild rice may hold genetic secrets for climate-resilient farming \u2013 if Vietnam can save it from vanishing and neglect","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"In Vietnam\u2019s Mekong Delta, elusive \u2018ghost rice\u2019 holds key to climate resilience","og_description":"An ancient wild rice may hold genetic secrets for climate-resilient farming \u2013 if Vietnam can save it from vanishing and neglect","og_url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/","og_site_name":"Dialogue Earth","article_published_time":"2025-05-06T17:06:19+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-05-09T19:07:40+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/20210102_wild-rice-seeds_Oryza-officinalis_greenhouse_Mekong-Delta-Research-Institute_Vietnam_Nam-Phong_Mekong-Eye-1200px-copy.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Quynh Le","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/"},"author":{"name":"Quynh Le","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/c7fad0ceee81b902a5d30b60183e31d2"},"headline":"In Vietnam\u2019s Mekong Delta, elusive \u2018ghost rice\u2019 holds key to climate resilience","datePublished":"2025-05-06T17:06:19+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-09T19:07:40+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/"},"wordCount":2015,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/20210102_wild-rice-seeds_Oryza-officinalis_greenhouse_Mekong-Delta-Research-Institute_Vietnam_Nam-Phong_Mekong-Eye-1200px-copy.jpeg","keywords":["Climate adaptation","Endangered species","Food security"],"articleSection":["Food"],"inLanguage":"en"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/","url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/","name":"In Vietnam\u2019s Mekong Delta, elusive \u2018ghost rice\u2019 holds key to climate resilience | Dialogue Earth","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/20210102_wild-rice-seeds_Oryza-officinalis_greenhouse_Mekong-Delta-Research-Institute_Vietnam_Nam-Phong_Mekong-Eye-1200px-copy.jpeg","datePublished":"2025-05-06T17:06:19+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-09T19:07:40+00:00","description":"An ancient wild rice may hold genetic secrets for climate-resilient farming \u2013 if Vietnam can save it from vanishing and neglect","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/20210102_wild-rice-seeds_Oryza-officinalis_greenhouse_Mekong-Delta-Research-Institute_Vietnam_Nam-Phong_Mekong-Eye-1200px-copy.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/20210102_wild-rice-seeds_Oryza-officinalis_greenhouse_Mekong-Delta-Research-Institute_Vietnam_Nam-Phong_Mekong-Eye-1200px-copy.jpeg","width":1200,"height":800,"caption":"Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute (1).jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/in-vietnams-mekong-delta-elusive-ghost-rice-holds-key-to-climate-resilience\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"In Vietnam\u2019s Mekong Delta, elusive \u2018ghost rice\u2019 holds key to climate resilience"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/","name":"Dialogue Earth","description":"Global climate and environment news","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#organization","name":"\u5bf9\u8bdd\u5730\u7403","url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Dialogue-Earth-Symbol-Logo_Black-Text.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Dialogue-Earth-Symbol-Logo_Black-Text.png","width":256,"height":256,"caption":"\u5bf9\u8bdd\u5730\u7403"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/twitter.com\/DialogueEarth_","","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DialogueEarth.English","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/dialogue.earth\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/dialogueearth\/"],"publishingPrinciples":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/about\/"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/c7fad0ceee81b902a5d30b60183e31d2","name":"Quynh Le","url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/author\/quynhle\/","sameAs":["https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/author\/quynhle\/"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60079715","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/50000762"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60079715"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60079715\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60080707,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60079715\/revisions\/60080707"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60079830"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60079715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60079715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60079715"},{"taxonomy":"hashtags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtags?post=60079715"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=60079715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}