ICAR to launch two genome edited rice varieties
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has successfully developed two genome edited rice varieties, which will be formally announced in New Delhi on Sunday (May 4, 2025) by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The ICAR said the development of such seeds was 'first-ever such achievement' in the country using cutting-edge genome editing technology.
The first variety, named as DRR Dhan 100 Kamala, was developed from a popular high yielding green rice Samba Mahsuri and the second variety is from Maharashtra Technology University 1010 (MTU1010), which is also widely used by farmers across the country.
The new variety developed from Samba Mahsuri can be harvested 15-20 days ahead of its original. The yield is almost 25% more, which is about eight tonnes more per hectare. Each panicle of the paddy will give 450 to 500 more grains in this variety than the original crop.
'This is climate-friendly as this variety uses water and minerals judiciously. This is tolerant to increase in temperature too,' a source in ICAR said. The variety can be cultivated by direct seeding method too.
Named as Pusa DST Rice 1, the variety developed from MTU1010 is a 'salinity tension tolerant' crop. When cultivated under areas that have national average of salinity, the new variety produced 9.66% additional yield than MTU1010. Similarly, in alkaline conditions, the new variety gave 14.66% more yield than its original and under 'salinity tension' conditions, the yield of the new variety was 30.36%.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
CPCRI to empower farmers through science-driven plantation farming
Mangaluru: As part of the nationwide Vikasit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan being held from May 29 to June 12, the ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) is leading efforts to empower the farming community to enhance crop productivity, farmer profitability, and environmental sustainability through field-level engagement and science-backed interventions. Dr K Balachandra Hebbar, director of ICAR-CPCRI, Kasaragod, said that the campaign involves collaboration between CPCRI scientists, nearby ICAR institutes, the state department of agriculture, ATMA, other line departments, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs). Outreach teams are covering 80 to 90 villages per district, with each team engaging with two to three panchayats daily to provide farmers with practical solutions on crop management, soil health, and resource use. It is also highlighted that with the adoption of scientific technologies, it is possible to increase the yield of plantation crops by 10%, which would ultimately position India as the Food Basket of the World. In coconut alone, with 22 lakh hectares under cultivation, even a 10-nut increase per palm from the current average of 60 could yield 385 crore additional nuts annually, translating to an estimated Rs 3,850 crore boost in farmer revenue. A major thrust of the initiative is encouraging farmers to replace low-yielding varieties with high-yielding, climate-resilient varieties of coconut, arecanut, and cocoa. CPCRI has developed several effective coconut and arecanut-based cropping/farming system models that significantly enhance farm productivity, profitability, and climate resilience. One notable model is the coconut + black pepper + banana + pineapple system, the adoption of which has shown a net return of Rs 3.5 to Rs 4 lakh per hectare per year, which is two to three times higher than that from a sole coconut crop. At present, it is adopted in 10% of the area, but there is a huge scope to expand it to other areas. Another successful model is the arecanut + black pepper + cocoa + banana system. It provides a steady income throughout the year, with net returns reaching Rs 4.4 to Rs 10 lakh per hectare annually. Making trenches between coconut rows and incorporating organic waste like husks and leaves to conserve moisture and improve soil health results in a 20–30% yield increase. This system is more resilient to dry spells and contributes to sustainable production with minimal external inputs, making it especially beneficial for smallholder farmers in dry regions. Microbial consortium and customised nutrient mixtures like Kalpa Poshak and Kalpa Vardhini for young and mature palms, respectively, contribute to balanced plant nutrition, which is essential for sustained yield and biotic and abiotic stress tolerance.
United News of India
3 hours ago
- United News of India
AX-4 ISS mission piloted by Indian astronaut deferred to June 11 due to adverse weather
Chennai, June 9 (UNI) Axiom Mission 4 to International Space Station (ISS), piloted by decorated Indian Astronaut Subhanshu Shukla and three other crew from US, Hungary and Poland, was deferred by a day to June 11 due to adverse weather conditions. The Mission was scheduled for take off aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the ISS tomorrow morning. The mission that involved docking in ISS for 14 days after a 28 hour flight journey to conduct various experiments, was postponed to June 11, citing bad weather. Confirming this, Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh posted on X, due to adverse weather, the launch of the Axiom-4 mission carrying Indian Gaganytri to the ISS is rescheduldd from June 10 to possibly June 11, 2025 and further update, if any, will be shared. Meanwhile, Space X in a social media post, said "SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, June 11 for Falcon-9's launch of Axiom Space's Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Launch is targeted for 8:00 a.m. ET, with a backup opportunity available on Thursday, June 12 at 7:37 a.m. ET. A live webcast of this mission will begin about two hours prior to liftoff, it said. This is the first flight for the Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission. This will be the second flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched a Starlink mission. Following stage separation, Falcon 9's first stage will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. During their time on the orbiting laboratory, the crew will conduct more than 60 scientific experiments and demonstrations focused on human research, Earth observation, and life, biological, and material sciences. MORE UNI GV 2037
Scroll.in
5 hours ago
- Scroll.in
India has developed two genome-edited rice varieties – but some experts are concerned
In a significant stride towards bolstering food security amid escalating climate challenges, researchers at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute and the Indian Institute of Rice Research, both operating under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, have developed two innovative genome-edited rice varieties, named DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1. These varieties aim to enhance yield and resilience against environmental stresses. Developed by Indian Institute of Rice Research in Hyderabad, DRR Dhan 100 or Kamala is based on the popular Samba Mahsuri (BPT-5204) and exhibits high yield potential along with improved drought and salinity resistance. Pusa DST Rice 1 is developed by Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi from Cotton Dora Sannalu (MTU 1010) and is engineered for enhanced DST or drought and salt tolerance. Both varieties were developed using the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technique, which allows for precise modifications in the plant's DNA without introducing foreign genes. This, according to the scientists, is a very different method from genetic modification of the plant. Genome editing accelerates the breeding process and enables the development of crops with desired traits more efficiently. Genome editing vs genetic modification While both genome editing and genetic modification involve altering an organism's genetic material, they differ fundamentally in approach and outcome. Genome editing uses specific tools to make targeted changes to the organism's own DNA without introducing genes from other species. In contrast, genetic modification typically involves inserting foreign genes into an organism's genome, often resulting in transgenic organisms. Viswanathan C, joint director (research) at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, explains, 'In genome editing, mutations are induced at specific sites where change is needed. These are internal and guided changes – a modern, targeted way to induce genetic mutations that also occur in nature, but with precision for specific outcomes.' Genetic modification, on the other hand, can result in unintended genetic changes and has been subject to stricter regulatory scrutiny. Scientists have used Site-Directed Nuclease 1 and Site-Directed Nuclease 2 (SDN-1 and SDN-2) genome editing techniques to develop the seeds. Vishwanathan highlights that genome editing in rice is being pursued to address agricultural challenges such as low yields, drought, and soil salinity, which are increasingly prevalent due to climate change. For instance, Pusa DST Rice 1 and DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) were developed to tolerate harsh conditions such as drought and saline soils, which are common in many Indian farming regions. Kamala, derived from the popular Samba Mahsuri rice, also has improved grain numbers and reduced environmental impact, according to the scientists. Biosafety concerns The release of these genome-edited rice varieties has garnered attention from various stakeholders in the agricultural sector. While many experts view this development as a positive step towards sustainable agriculture, some have raised concerns about the long-term implications and regulatory oversight of genome editing technologies. The Coalition for GM-free India, in a press conference held in Bengaluru, put forward the concerns around the safety of genome editing of crops such as rice. They alleged that both SDN-1 and SDN-2 techniques used for the rice varieties are illegal and unsafe. Kavitha Kuruganti, a member of the coalition says, 'Published studies such as Sukumar Biswas et al. in their paper say that SDN-1 technology, using CRISPR/Cas9 system is not precise in rice. Early and accurate molecular characterisation and screening must be carried out for many generations before the edited rice varieties are handed over to the farmers.' In a rebuttal, Indian Council of Agricultural Research scientists responded to these allegations saying that genome editing techniques, (SDN-1/SDN-2) are comparable to natural or chemical-induced mutations used safely for more than 75 years. They explain that these techniques require specific tests to confirm absence of foreign DNA. 'More than 30 agriculture-based countries have exempted SDN1 and SDN2 genome editing from stringent biosafety regulations. India too joined the progressive nations and notified the exemption of SDN1 and SDN2 genome edited plants in 2022,' the rebuttal sourced by Mongabay India says. While Kurnganti questions the need for a better yielding paddy, considering India is one of the largest rice producers in the world, second only to China, and the country could do better with better distribution of paddy produced, Vishwanathan says that rice plays a central role in the country's food security and cannot be overlooked. He adds that similar research is ongoing in millets and other crops as well.
