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3w ago

India Unveils World’s First Genome-Edited Rice Varieties

New rice strains promise 20–30% higher yields, earlier maturation, water conservation, and reduced emissions, marking a leap in climate-smart agriculture.

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Overview

  • Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the release of DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1, developed using CRISPR-Cas genome-editing technology.
  • These non-GMO rice varieties mature 15–20 days earlier, conserve water by requiring fewer irrigations, and reduce methane emissions by 20%.
  • The varieties are expected to increase rice yields by 20–30%, potentially adding 4.5 million tonnes of paddy production across 5 million hectares.
  • The genome-editing process involved enhancing popular rice strains, Samba Mahsuri and MTU1010, for improved climate resilience and stress tolerance.
  • Commercial availability is projected in 4–5 years, with breeder seed multiplication underway under India’s streamlined SDN1/SDN2 regulatory framework.