Sunday, Jun 01, 2025 23:00 [IST]
Last Update: Saturday, May 31, 2025 17:27 [IST]
India has reached a significant milestone in agriculture by developing the world's first genome-edited rice varieties that produce more yield, endure climate change, and consume less water. Scientists employed an innovative tool known as CRISPR-Cas9, often referred to as "genetic scissors," to meticulously modify the rice's DNA to boost its inherent capabilities. This technology mimics the immune system of bacteria, which can recognize viruses and eliminate them using specialized enzymes. Researchers have harnessed this natural mechanism to edit plant genes with remarkable precision.
The two new varieties, DRR Rice 100 (Kamla) and Pusa DST Rice 1, were developed without incorporating foreign DNA, setting them apart from conventional GMOs. In contrast to traditional breeding techniques that can take decades, CRISPR enables enhancements to occur in just a few years. These superior rice varieties provide 19% higher yields, enhanced resistance to climate stress, significant water savings, and 20% lower emissions - truly transformative for Indian farmers grappling with climate issues. This advancement highlights how advanced science can address tangible challenges in agriculture. According to official announcements, these new climate-resilient rice varieties will be available to farmers in four to five years. This follows a regular protocol for seed development, which involves transitioning from laboratory cultivation to breeder seeds, and finally to certified seeds.
DRR Rice 100 (Kamla): Researchers have enhanced one of India's favourite rice varieties - the aromatic Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204), renowned for its flavour despite having lower yields. After extensive research, Dr. Satyendra Kumar Mangrauthia and his team at ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad (ICAR-IIRR) achieved a significant breakthrough with DRR Rice 100 (Kamla). By applying advanced genetic techniques, they tapped into the rice's true potential by altering a negative regulator that restricts the number of grains in a panicle. The results are impressive - these plants now yield 35% more grains, are sturdier against strong winds and storms, and are ready for harvest 20 days earlier. This accelerated growth translates to substantial water savings and a reduced environmental footprint in rice cultivation. Most importantly, they maintained the remarkable quality and flavor that have made Samba Mahsuri so popular.
Pusa DST Rice 1: Researchers have introduced an impressive new rice variety that thrives in salt-affected soils where conventional rice struggles, providing hope to farmers facing barren land. Dr. Viswanathan Chinnusamy and his team at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI) altered a natural stress-response gene (OsDST) in the well-known MTU 1010 rice, resulting in a salt-resistant variant that produces 9-30% more grain under challenging conditions while utilizing water more effectively through improved leaf pores. This innovation can potentially convert millions of acres of unusable farmland throughout India into fruitful fields, enabling farmers to cultivate crops in saline or alkaline soils while saving vital water resources.
Kudos to ICAR
ICAR's National Agricultural Science Fund deserves recognition for its support of this pioneering research, which aligns with India's goal of increasing food production while using fewer resources. The government has demonstrated a strong commitment by allocating ?500 crore to crop improvement technologies in the 2023-24 budget. This investment is already yielding results - the new rice varieties have the potential to conserve enough water annually, reduce methane emissions from rice fields by 20%, and facilitate the implementation of the innovative 'Minus 5, Plus 10' initiative. This ambitious program aims to decrease the rice area by 5% while simultaneously increasing overall food production by 10% by enabling farmers to cultivate nutritious pulses and oilseeds on the land saved through these water-efficient rice varieties.
A Step Towards Global Food Security
India currently exports Basmati rice worth ?48,000 crore annually, feeding the world. With the introduction of these improved rice varieties, the country could enhance its role as a global food supplier. As farmers adopt these advanced crops, India will progress significantly, producing more food while using less water and land. This advancement will improve food security domestically, increase international exports, and more efficiently utilize our natural resources for future generations.
(Dr. Jyothish Madambikattil Sasi is a Professor, RIC at Garden City University, Bangalore, E-mail: jyothishmadambi@gmail.com; Dr. Biju Dharmapalan is the Dean-Academic Affairs, Garden City University, Bangalore and an adjunct faculty at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, E-mail: bijudharmapalan@gmail.com)
