NEW DELHI: In a first of its kind initiative, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research ( ICAR ) - India's premier agri research organisation - has developed the country's first genome-edited climate-resilient varieties of rice to boost yields and conserve water.
The ICAR claimed that the cultivation of these improved rice varieties -- ‘ DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala)’ and ‘ Pusa DST Rice 1 ’ -- in about 5 million hectares of the recommended area will produce 4.5 million tons of additional paddy and save a minimum 7,500 million cubic meters of irrigation water. Besides, it will also reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by 20% (32,000 tons).
Genome-editing, particularly the CRISPR-Cas technology , is being recognised as a breakthrough in precision breeding. It enables scientists to make targeted changes in the native genes of living organisms, creating new and desirable traits without introducing foreign DNA.
"Development of these two varieties using genome editing technology has paved the way for using this innovative method in other crops too for higher yields, climate resilience and improved quality to achieve the targets of Viksit Bharat," said an official note, released by the ICAR, on late Saturday. Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will formally release these two varieties on Sunday.
Recognizing the transformative potential of new technology, the ICAR initiated a genome-editing research project in rice in 2018 and selected two widely cultivated mega rice varieties -- ‘Samba Mahsuri (BPT5204)’ and ‘MTU1010 (Cottondora Sannalu)’ -- to further enhance their qualities through technological interventions.
The ICAR scientists eventually enhanced these varieties with better stress tolerance, improved yield, and climate adaptability without compromising their existing strengths, and developed two new genome-edited varieties ‘Kamala’ and ‘Pusa DST Rice 1’.
"The initiative marks a significant step forward in India’s efforts to ensure food security and sustainable agriculture in the face of mounting environmental challenges. There are few concerns about the Intellectual Property Rights of the technology which are being looked after and will be resolved in times to come," said the ICAR.
The genome-edited 'DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala)' is recommended for cultivation across major rice-growing states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The other new variety - ‘Pusa DST Rice 1' - is also recommended for cultivation in most of these states.
Currently, genome-editing programmes have also been initiated by the ICAR in many crops including oilseeds and pulses.
The ICAR claimed that the cultivation of these improved rice varieties -- ‘ DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala)’ and ‘ Pusa DST Rice 1 ’ -- in about 5 million hectares of the recommended area will produce 4.5 million tons of additional paddy and save a minimum 7,500 million cubic meters of irrigation water. Besides, it will also reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by 20% (32,000 tons).
Genome-editing, particularly the CRISPR-Cas technology , is being recognised as a breakthrough in precision breeding. It enables scientists to make targeted changes in the native genes of living organisms, creating new and desirable traits without introducing foreign DNA.
"Development of these two varieties using genome editing technology has paved the way for using this innovative method in other crops too for higher yields, climate resilience and improved quality to achieve the targets of Viksit Bharat," said an official note, released by the ICAR, on late Saturday. Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will formally release these two varieties on Sunday.
Recognizing the transformative potential of new technology, the ICAR initiated a genome-editing research project in rice in 2018 and selected two widely cultivated mega rice varieties -- ‘Samba Mahsuri (BPT5204)’ and ‘MTU1010 (Cottondora Sannalu)’ -- to further enhance their qualities through technological interventions.
The ICAR scientists eventually enhanced these varieties with better stress tolerance, improved yield, and climate adaptability without compromising their existing strengths, and developed two new genome-edited varieties ‘Kamala’ and ‘Pusa DST Rice 1’.
"The initiative marks a significant step forward in India’s efforts to ensure food security and sustainable agriculture in the face of mounting environmental challenges. There are few concerns about the Intellectual Property Rights of the technology which are being looked after and will be resolved in times to come," said the ICAR.
The genome-edited 'DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala)' is recommended for cultivation across major rice-growing states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The other new variety - ‘Pusa DST Rice 1' - is also recommended for cultivation in most of these states.
Currently, genome-editing programmes have also been initiated by the ICAR in many crops including oilseeds and pulses.
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