India’s First Genome-Edited Rice Varieties
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: News on Air
Context: India has launched its first genome-edited rice varieties, DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1, developed by ICAR using CRISPR-Cas9 technology.
About India’s First Genome-Edited Rice Varieties:
• About DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala): It is a new rice variety developed by ICAR-IIRR in Hyderabad. It is based on the popular Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204) variety. Features: This new variety gives 19% more yield and matures about 20 days earlier, taking only 130 days. It has a strong stem that prevents the plant from falling, and it saves a large amount of irrigation water—around 7,500 million cubic meters. It uses genome-editing to change the CKX2 (Gn1a) gene, which helps produce more grains per plant. Because it grows faster, it also releases less methane into the environment.
• It is a new rice variety developed by ICAR-IIRR in Hyderabad.
• It is based on the popular Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204) variety.
• Features:
• This new variety gives 19% more yield and matures about 20 days earlier, taking only 130 days.
• It has a strong stem that prevents the plant from falling, and it saves a large amount of irrigation water—around 7,500 million cubic meters.
• It uses genome-editing to change the CKX2 (Gn1a) gene, which helps produce more grains per plant.
• Because it grows faster, it also releases less methane into the environment.
• About Pusa DST Rice 1: It is another new rice variety developed by ICAR-IARI in New Delhi, using the MTU 1010 variety as its base. This variety has been edited to improve its tolerance to drought and salty soils by targeting the DST gene. It performs better in tough soil conditions and can give up to 30.4% more yield in such areas. It does not contain any foreign DNA and is genome-edited using the SDN1 method, which means it does not fall under strict GMO rules.
• It is another new rice variety developed by ICAR-IARI in New Delhi, using the MTU 1010 variety as its base.
• This variety has been edited to improve its tolerance to drought and salty soils by targeting the DST gene.
• It performs better in tough soil conditions and can give up to 30.4% more yield in such areas.
• It does not contain any foreign DNA and is genome-edited using the SDN1 method, which means it does not fall under strict GMO rules.