Latest news with #ICAR-IIRR
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Agriculture and research institute bags seven awards
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute (PAJANCOA & RI), Karaikal, has bagged seven awards, including Best Research Institute Award, of the Indian Institute of Rice Research (ICAR-IIRR), Hyderabad. Each year, the ICAR-IIRR national awards are given in recognition of excellence across various domains of rice research including methodology, scientific innovation, and impactful outcomes. PAJANCOA & RI, was selected for the Best Research Institute Award, and the award was presented to A. Pouchepparadjou, Dean of PAJANCOA & RI, by D. K. Yadav, Deputy Director General (Crop Science), ICAR, New Delhi, and R. M. Sundaram, Director of ICAR-IIRR, during the diamond jubilee Annual Rice Group Meeting held at Hyderabad recently. The institution also earned recognition for excellence in Agronomy, Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Agricultural Entomology, and Crop Physiology. S. Thirumeni, Professor, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his exceptional contributions to the field of rice research, according to a press release from PAJANCOA & RI. Dr. Pouchepparadjou commended the hard work and dedication of the faculty, scientists, and students of the institution and their sustained commitment to impactful, farmer-centric agricultural research. He also highlighted the institute's collaborative efforts with ICAR-IIRR under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), through which extensive rice research and outreach programmes were being implemented. The initiatives offered technological support and vital inputs to farmers—particularly from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities. To date, over 1,000 farmers from Puducherry, Karaikal, Yanam, and Tamil Nadu had directly benefited from the programmes, he said. He urged farmers to make the best use of the institute's support to improve productivity and increase their farm income.
Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget: What to know about gene editing for UPSC as world's first GE rice varieties make headlines
Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here's your knowledge nugget for today on world's first genome edited (GE) rice varieties. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) said it has developed the world's first genome edited (GE) rice varieties with superior yields, drought and salinity tolerance, and high nitrogen-use efficiency traits. Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan released the two rice varieties at the ICAR's NASC Complex on Sunday (May 4). Key Takeaways : 1. Two affiliate institutions of ICAR— the Hyderabad -based Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) at New Delhi — have bred improved GE mutants of the popular Samba Mahsuri (BPT-5204) and Cottondora Sannalu (MTU-1010) varieties using CRISPR-Cas SDN-1 (Site-Directed Nucleases-1) technologies. 2. These two new GE rice varieties, which are climate-resilient, conserve water, and boost yields, have been named 'Kamala' and 'Pusa DST Rice 1'. They have better stress tolerance and climate adaptability without any compromises with their existing strengths. 3. DRR DHAN 100 (KAMALA): Developed by the ICAR-IIRR, this variety promises significantly higher yields, improved drought tolerance, and early maturity compared to its parent variety, Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204). According to the ICAR, DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) has been developed using genome editing technology targeting the Cytokinin Oxidase 2 (CKX2) gene (also known as Gn1a), to increase grain numbers per panicle. • 'Using the Site Directed Nuclease 1 (SDN1) genome editing approach, ICAR-IIRR scientists introduced precise mutations without incorporating any foreign DNA.' the Council said in a statement. The ICAR release pointed out that DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) retains the grain and cooking quality that makes Samba Mahsuri a consumer favourite. • The Kamala variety has been recommended for cultivation across major rice-growing states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala (Zone VII), Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh (Zone V), Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal (Zone III). 4. PUSA DST RICE 1: This new GE variety has been developed over the widely cultivated fine-grain variety called MTU1010 by ICAR-IARI. It has been developed through SDN1 genome-editing, this new variety targets the Drought and Salt Tolerance (DST) gene to improve the plant's resilience to harsh soil and climate conditions. • The new variety is relevant for farmers of saline and alkaline soils, where traditional varieties underperform. This variety of rice has been recommended for cultivation across key rice-growing states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala (Zone VII), Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh (Zone V), Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal (Zone III). Do you Know? India has exempted GE crops from biosafety regulations under the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986. These regulations govern both field trials and release for commercial cultivation in the case of GM crops that are treated as 'hazardous substances' under the Act. 5. In the case of 2 new genome edited (GE) rice varieties, scientists at IIRR have used the CRISPR-Cas12 protein for editing the 'cytokinin oxidase 2' gene (also called Gn1a) in Samba Mahsuri rice, in order to the increase the number of grains produced from each panicle (plant earhead) of this variety. Why Rice? 1. Rice, like other crops, is exposed to various biotic and abiotic stresses during its life cycle. Several diseases such as bacterial leaf blight and blast, and insect pests like the brown plant hopper, cause significant damage that result in devastating yield reductions. The crop losses from some of these biotic stresses can be as high as 50% and even reach 90% in epidemic conditions. 2. In addition, rice accounts for more than half of the fresh water used in agriculture. Water availability for agriculture in general is becoming a significant constraint now, due to ever-increasing domestic, urban and industrial consumption requirements. The situation will become more complex with decreased arable land availability as well, not to speak of the impact of climate change on crop productivity. Do you know? Paddy is India's principal crop of the kharif season, and is grown on one-third of the entire area under all foodgrain crops. It contributes about 4 0% to the country's foodgrain basket, and is critical to the nation's food security. West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Assam are the main paddy growing states. 3. Successful development of rice lines, incorporating important biotic and abiotic stress resistant traits, can provide solutions for minimising yield losses that affect consumers (from reduced availability) and producers (from lower incomes) alike. What is Gene Editing Technology ? 1. Gene editing, also known as genome editing, is a technique that allows scientists to 'cut' DNA strands and edit genes. The technology enables a simple but remarkably efficient way to 'edit' the genetic codes of organisms, thus opening up the possibility of 'correcting' genetic information to cure diseases, prevent physical deformities, or even produce cosmetic enhancements. How the technique works 2. Advanced research has allowed scientists to develop highly effective clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeat (CRISPR) -associated proteins-based systems. This system allows for targeted intervention at the genome sequence. 3. Its mechanism is often compared to the 'cut-copy-paste', or 'find-replace' functionalities in common computer programmes. A bad stretch in the DNA sequence, which is the cause of disease or disorder, is located, cut, and removed — and then replaced with a 'correct' sequence. The tools used to achieve this are not mechanical, but biochemical — specific protein and RNA molecules. How is Gene Editing different from Gene Modification? 1. GE is different from genetic modification or GM. The latter involves introduction of genes from unrelated species into host plants. These could, for example, be genes from Bacillus thuringiensis, a soil bacterium, that code for the production of proteins toxic to various insect pests in cotton. 2. GE, on the other hand, entails mere 'editing' of genes naturally present in the host plant, leading to mutation or changes in their DNA sequence. No foreign genes or DNA are incorporated. 1. In the last decade, targeted genome editing using 'CRISPR/Cas9' has captivated the attention of the research community. The applications of this technology — an acronym for 'clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 ' — have gained significant traction in various fields of science, including agriculture. 2. CRISPR-Cas uses 'Cas' enzymes, or proteins that act like molecular 'scissors', to cut and modify the DNA sequence of a native gene at its targeted location. Such editing is intended to bring forth desirable alterations in that gene's expression and function. DON'T MISS | From largest economies to understanding GDP: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains 3. CRISPR/Cas9 was originally identified and adapted from a naturally-occurring immunity mechanism in bacteria, which is employed against invading viruses. The bacteria basically capture snippets of DNA from the viruses and use them to create CRISPR arrays. These DNA segments allow the bacteria to 'remember' the viruses. In the event of the viruses attacking, the bacteria produce RNA (messenger that carries genetic information from the DNA) from the CRISPR arrays. The bacteria then uses Cas9 enzyme, which acts as a pair of 'molecular scissors', to cut the DNA apart and disabling the virus. Do you Know? CRISPR-Cas9 technology won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020. This technology is patented by the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Its use is licensed. 4. The same system has been engineered by researchers to produce RNA complementary to a specific target DNA sequence in the genome of an organism. This 'guide' RNA binds itself only to that target sequence and no other regions of the genome. The Cas9 enzyme will, in turn, follow the guide RNA and cut the two strands of DNA at the targeted location. At this stage, the cell knows that the DNA is damaged and tries to repair it. The researchers can now use the natural DNA repair machinery to introduce changes, including by adding or deleting genetic material. 5. Such genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9 is possible through three different approaches: Site-Directed Nuclease (SDN) 1, 2 and 3. 📍SDN1 produces a double-stranded break in the genome of a plant and modifies an existing trait without undertaking insertion of any foreign DNA or even editing at the site of interest. 📍SDN2 modifies the trait of interest by producing a double-stranded break and, while that is being repaired by the cell, editing a small sequence at the target site. 📍SDN3 uses site-specific insertion of a large, foreign DNA fragment to introduce a new trait of interest. (a) A molecular scissors used in targeted gene editing (b) A biosensor used in the accurate detection of pathogens in patients (c) A gene that makes plants pest-resistant Answer Key (a)
Indian Express
04-05-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
For the first time, 2 new genome-edited rice varieties: Why is this such a major breakthrough for ICAR and India's agriculture?
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday (May 4) released two genome-edited varieties of rice, the first achievement of its kind in the country. These two varieties, which are climate-resilient, conserve water, and boost yields, have been developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) using cutting-edge genome editing technology. Which are these two genome-edited varieties of rice? These have been named 'Kamala' and 'Pusa DST Rice 1'. They have better stress tolerance, improved yields, and climate adaptability without any compromises with their existing strengths. DRR DHAN 100 (KAMALA): Developed by the ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research (ICAR-IIRR), Hyderabad, this variety promises significantly higher yields, improved drought tolerance, and early maturity compared to its parent variety, Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204). According to the ICAR, DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) has been developed using genome editing technology targeting the Cytokinin Oxidase 2 (CKX2) gene (also known as Gn1a), to increase grain numbers per panicle. 'Using the Site Directed Nuclease 1 (SDN1) genome editing approach, ICAR-IIRR scientists introduced precise mutations without incorporating any foreign DNA. The resulting mutant line demonstrated superior yield performance, drought tolerance, high nitrogen-use efficiency, and maturity ~20 days earlier (around 130 days) than its parent variety,' the Council said in a statement. 'The new genome-edited line, officially designated IET 32072, was evaluated in multi-location field trials during 2023 and 2024 under the All India Coordinated Research Project on Rice (AICRPR). Results showed a 19% yield improvement over Samba Mahsuri, with DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) recording an average yield of 5.37 tonnes per hectare, compared to 4.5 tonnes per hectare for its parent. Under optimal conditions, DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) has demonstrated a yield potential of up to 9 tons per hectare,' it said. The ICAR release pointed out that DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) retains the grain and cooking quality that makes Samba Mahsuri a consumer favourite. Workers transplanting paddy crop. (Express file photo by Nirmal Harindran) It said that the Kamala variety has been recommended for cultivation across major rice-growing states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala (Zone VII), Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh (Zone V), Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal (Zone III). PUSA DST RICE 1: This new genome-edited variety has been developed over the widely cultivated fine-grain variety called MTU1010 by ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI), New Delhi. Developed through Site Directed Nuclease 1 (SDN1) genome-editing, the new variety, Pusa DST Rice 1, targets the Drought and Salt Tolerance (DST) gene to improve the plant's resilience to harsh soil and climate conditions. 'The genome-edited line contains no foreign DNA, making it comparable to conventionally bred varieties,' ICAR said. The new variety was field-tested under the AICRPR during 2023 and 2024, and demonstrated 'remarkable improvements in yield performance under various stress conditions'. The new variety is relevant for farmers of saline and alkaline soils, where traditional varieties underperform. * According to the ICAR, Pusa DST Rice 1 recorded a yield of 3,508 kg per hectare in inland salinity, which is 9.666 per cent higher than its parent variety, MTU 1010's yield (3,199 kg/ha). * In alkaline soils, Pusa DST Rice 1 recorded a yield of 3,731 kg/ha, which was 14.66 per higher as compared to MTU1010 variety (3,254 kg/ha). * And in coastal salinity, 'Pusa DST Rice 1' performance was even better. 'Pusa DST Rice 1' recorded a yield of 2,493 kg/ha in coastal salinity, which was 30.4 per cent higher than MTU 1010 (1,912 kg/ha). This variety of rice has been recommended for cultivation across key rice-growing states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala (Zone VII), Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh (Zone V), Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal (Zone III). But what specific practical benefits will derive from cultivating these two new varieties? BIGGER YIELDS, LESS EMISSIONS: According to ICAR, cultivation of DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1 varieties in about 5 million hectares of the recommended area will produce 4.5 million tonnes of additional paddy, and a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 20% (32,000 tonnes). LESS WATER CONSUMPTION: '…Due to shorter duration of Kamala, three irrigations will be saved resulting in saving of a total of 7,500 million cubic metres of irrigation water, which can be used for other crops,' the ICAR statement said. So are these varieties safe, and have they received all clearances required for cultivation? The ICAR scientists have used the revolutionary CRISPR-Cas9 genome-editing technology, which won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020, to develop these two varieties. This technology enables scientists to make targeted changes in the native genes of living organisms, creating new and desirable traits without introducing foreign DNA. 'Two key approaches — Site Directed Nuclease 1 (SDN1) and Site Directed Nuclease 2 (SDN2) — produce genetically edited organisms that are considered indistinguishable from naturally occurring or conventionally bred mutants. As such, they are exempt from the stringent biosafety regulations under Rules 7-11 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986,' according to ICAR. The Council said that the Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBC) of respective ICAR institutes had approved the lines, and the Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) had granted clearance on May 31, 2023 for their classification under India's relaxed regulatory framework for SDN1 and SDN2 genome edits. Therefore, these two varieties have received 'appropriate biosafety clearance' under India's simplified regulations for genome-edited crops. Some concerns about the Intellectual Property Rights of the technology exist, but they are being 'looked after and will be resolved in times to come', ICAR said. Why is this breakthrough in paddy so significant? Paddy is India's principal crop of the kharif season, and is grown on one-third of the entire area under all foodgrain crops. It contributes about 40% to the country's foodgrain basket, and is critical to the nation's food security. West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Assam are the main paddy growing states. As per the Agriculture Ministry, paddy (kharif and rabi together) accounted for 45 million hectares of area, which was the highest in the world in 2020. However, in terms of production, India (186.5 million tonnes) ranked second after China (211 million tonnes). The reason is the lower yield in India. India's paddy yield (4,138 kg/ha) was lower than the world's average of 4,717 kg/ha, China's (7,043 kg/ha), Indonesia's (5,128 kg/ha) and Bangladesh's (4,809 kg/ha). Is India developing other genome-edited varieties of crops as well? Yes, research programmes on genome-editing have been initiated for other crops including oilseeds and pulses as well, officials said. The government has allocated Rs 500 crore for genome-editing in agricultural crops, and the University of Delhi has developed a genome-edited variety of mustard.
