ICAR Denies Data‑Rigging Allegations Over Genome‑Edited Rice Trials

Overview

• The Coalition for a GM‑Free India accused ICAR and the Agriculture Ministry of manufacturing success claims for Pusa DST‑1 and DRR Dhan 100 using selective reporting from AICRPR 2023–2024 data.
• For Pusa DST‑1, the coalition cited no recorded drought or salinity testing in 2023 due to limited seed, underperformance at many sites, and 2024 results that did not show the touted 30% yield gain.
• The group said DRR Dhan 100 underperformed at several 2023 sites, showed an overall mean yield lower than its parent, and lacked published field evidence of the claimed 20‑day earlier maturity.
• ICAR rejected the charges as baseless, saying entries were blind‑coded, tested across more than 24 locations alongside 500‑plus lines, and that all field data are publicly available, while pointing to site‑specific gains under stress conditions.
• The coalition demanded withdrawal of promotional claims, an independent scientific review and a moratorium on genome‑edited crop releases, and no independent inquiry or regulatory action has been announced.