Agri Minister Chouhan unveils genome-edited rice, boosting yield 30%

New Delhi

On Sunday, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched India’s first genome-edited rice varieties, 'DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala)' and 'Pusa DST Rice 1', developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). These varieties aim to tackle climate change challenges and improve rice yields by 20-30%. The new rice types will help conserve water, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and be introduced in major rice-producing states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and more.

Developed from the popular Samba Mahsuri and MTU1010 varieties, these new types offer enhanced drought tolerance, improved yield, and better climate adaptability. DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) matures 20 days earlier, saving farmers three irrigation cycles, allowing for earlier harvests and crop rotation. This could add 4.5 million tonnes of paddy from cultivation across 5 million hectares.

Chouhan emphasized the importance of advancing agricultural technologies to reduce India's reliance on imports and boost domestic production of pulses and oilseeds. He also proposed shifting rice acreage to these crops to improve yield and reduce dependency on imports.

ICAR Director General Mangi Lal Jat hailed the day as historic for India's agriculture, stressing the need for demand-driven research based on farmers’ feedback. The new rice varieties represent a significant step forward in agricultural biotechnology, offering practical solutions to India’s food security and climate change challenges.