One-cycles on rationally connected varieties

We prove that every curve on a separably rationally connected variety is rationally equivalent to a (non-effective) integral sum of rational curves. That is, the Chow group of 1-cycles is generated by rational curves. Applying the same technique, we also show that the Chow group of 1-cycles on a separably rationally connected Fano complete intersection of index at least 2 is generated by lines. As a consequence, we give a positive answer to a question of Professor Totaro about integral Hodge classes on rationally connected 3-folds. And by a result of Professor Voisin, the general case is a consequence of the Tate conjecture for surfaces over finite fields.