Genome edited varieties of rice with high yield rate released

05-May-2025 12:50 PM

New Delhi. In an important development, the Central Government has released two new genome edited rice varieties for the first time in the world, which require less water but still have a high average yield rate.

The rice varieties, named Kamla-DRR Rice-100 and Pusa DST Rice-1, have been approved for commercial cultivation. Their cultivation is also expected to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

These varieties are estimated to offer an average yield rate that is 30 percent higher than existing varieties and can mature 15–20 days earlier than conventional rice types.

According to the Union Agriculture Minister, the new rice varieties will require less water for irrigation and contribute to environmental protection. However, it may take 4–5 years for these varieties to become widely available to farmers.

This is because they must go through the full seed development cycle, including initial seeder trials, foundation seed production, and finally the mass production of certified seed.

The government is making efforts to accelerate this process so that farmers can benefit from the improved yield rates as early as possible.

These varieties are genome edited but do not fall under the genetically modified (GM) category. Unlike GM crops, which involve the insertion of external genes, genome edited crops involve rearranging existing genes without introducing foreign DNA.

The Central Government had allocated Rs 500 crore in the Union Budget of 2023-24 for promoting genome editing in agricultural crops.

In addition to rice, genome editing research is in progress for about 24 other agricultural crops and 15 horticultural crops. This emerging area is expected to significantly contribute to increasing agricultural productivity in the country.