ICAR marks a first, develops two genome-edited varieties of rice

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) said it has developed the world's first genome edited (GE) rice varieties with superior yields, drought and salinity tolerance, and high nitrogen-use efficiency traits.
Two of its affiliate institutions — the Hyderabad -based Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) at New Delhi — have bred improved GE mutants of the popular Samba Mahsuri (BPT-5204) and Cottondora Sannalu (MTU-1010) varieties using CRISPR-Cas SDN-1 (Site-Directed Nucleases-1) technologies.
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan released the two rice varieties at the ICAR's NASC Complex on Sunday.
GE is different from genetic modification or GM. The latter involves introduction of genes from unrelated species into host plants. These could, for example, be genes from Bacillus thuringiensis, a soil bacterium, that code for the production of proteins toxic to various insect pests in cotton.
GE, on the other hand, entails mere 'editing' of genes naturally present in the host plant, leading to mutation or changes in their DNA sequence. No foreign genes or DNA are incorporated.
CRISPR-Cas uses 'Cas' enzymes, or proteins that act like molecular 'scissors', to cut and modify the DNA sequence of a native gene at its targeted location. Such editing is intended to bring forth desirable alterations in that gene's expression and function.
In this case, scientists at IIRR have used the CRISPR-Cas12 protein for editing the 'cytokinin oxidase 2' gene (also called Gn1a) in Samba Mahsuri rice, in order to the increase the number of grains produced from each panicle (plant earhead) of this variety.
The Gn1a gene basically codes for an enzyme that regulates the number of grains per panicle, thereby indirectly influencing yields. Through 'editing', the scientists are able to reduce the expression of that gene, leading to an increase in the number of grains per plant.
The Samba Mahsuri rice variety is extensively cultivated in about five million hectares (mh) across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
The new GE line – called IET-32072 or 'Kamala' – is claimed to have recorded an average paddy (rice with husk) yield of 5.37 tonnes per hectare with a potential of 9 tonnes. This is higher than the corresponding average and potential yields of 4.5 tonnes and 6.5 tonnes/hectare from its parent Samba Mahsuri (BPT-5204) variety.
Further, 'Kamala' matures in about 130 days (from seed to grain), 15-20 days earlier than Samba Mahsuri, but has the same grain attributes and cooking quality 'exactly like the original variety', according to an ICAR statement.
The CRISPR-Cas9 protein has been used similarly to edit the 'DST (drought and salt tolerance)' gene in the MTU-1010 or Cottondora Sannalu rice variety, which is grown in 4 mh across southern, central and eastern India. The variety is popular for its high yields (potential of 7 tonnes/hectare), early duration (125-130 days), and producing long slender grains.
The new GE mutant of MTU-1010 will enable this variety to also be cultivated in areas prone to drought and salinity stress.
The GE SDN-1 mutant line – called IET-32043 or Pusa DST Rice 1 – is claimed to have recorded an average paddy yield of 3.508 tonnes/hectare under inland salinity stress conditions, compared to 3.199 tonnes of the parent (MTU-1010) variety).
It has also given an average of 3.731 tonnes/hectare under alkaline and 2.493 tonnes/hectare under coastal stress conditions, as against the corresponding yields of 3.254 tonnes and 1.912 tonnes per hectare respectively.
India has exempted GE crops from biosafety regulations under the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986. These regulations govern both field trials and release for commercial cultivation in the case of GM crops that are treated as 'hazardous substances' under the Act.
The GE mutants created through SDN-1 and SDN-2 techniques are free of foreign genes or exogenous DNA. Their 'release' into the environment is, hence, seen to not pose risks and require multi-year trials and approvals, if at all, from the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Both the improved GE varieties were tested in multi-location field trials under the All India Coordinated Research Project on Rice during 2023 and 2024. This followed the approval from the Department of Biotechnology's Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation to consider these as 'free of exogenous introduced DNA' and 'equivalent to conventional mutant/breeding lines'.
The ICAR statement said that the development of the two GE rice varieties has paved the way for using this technology for higher yields, climate resilience, and improved quality traits in oilseeds, pulses and other crops too. The 2023-24 Union Budget had allocated Rs 500 crore for GE breeding and research in agriculture.
The statement conceded there are still issues over intellectual property rights on the CRISPR-Cas9 technology, which is patented by the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Its use is licensed. The IPR concerns 'are being looked after and will be resolved in coming times,' ICAR said.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Hans India

2 days ago

• Hans India

India is fast becoming a global hub of agri education: Ex-ICAR Dy D-G

Dr R C Agrawal, former Deputy Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), highlighted that Indian agricultural education is becoming a global hub, with continually rising standards. He urged students to recognize the importance of agricultural education in achieving the goals of Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat. He noted that the world is now looking to Indian agricultural education and encouraged students to embrace innovation. Speaking as the chief guest at the 'Workshop on Agricultural Education and Opportunities' held at the Horticulture College in Rajendranagar, he highlighted the crucial role that agro-based start-up industries play in India's ambition to become a 5 trillion USD economic powerhouse. Dr. Agrawal also pointed out that the application of Artificial Intelligence is expected to drive a rural revolution in the future, improving farmers' income sources. He predicted that by 2029, opportunities in this sector would reach a value of 6.58 billion USD, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.8 percent. forecasted that by 2040, there will be 1.77 million job opportunities in agriculture, with an annual increase of over 8 percent. Dr Danda Rajireddy, Vice Chancellor of Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University (SKLTHU), stated that universities are being equipped with the necessary infrastructure, thanks to support from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and the state government. He affirmed that the standards of Indian agricultural education are now competitive globally.

The Hindu

2 days ago

• The Hindu

Wealth from waste: how crop residue can provide nutritious cattle fodder, make farming eco-friendly

Scientists at CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) here seems to have found a solution to the country's mounting problem of dealing with agriculture residue such as paddy straw and rice and wheat husk. Over the past few years, scientists at the premier institute have been working on converting rice straw and other crop residue into nutrient rich fodder for the livestock and also other value-added products such as Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) and Fermented Organic Manure (FOM). Usually farmers resort to burning the crop residues, leading to environment pollution. Though it is already being used as cattle fodder, it is not as nutritious as other foods. Scientists have now shown that crop residue like rice straw when treated with a relatively simple chemical process could effectively help bridge the gap in the country's fodder needs, besides protecting the environment. By separating 'lignin', a complex polymer found in plant cell walls, and adding a few essential ingredients, rice straw could be turned into a cattle fodder with improved palatability and digestibility. The process is called 'delignification', said principal scientist Polumati Anand. After testing the process in an in house pilot plant on the institute campus in Tarnaka, the fortified fodder was evaluated in field trials. Buffalo calves and sheep were fed the fodder and their food intake, digestion and growth examined. These field trials of the fortified fodder held at the ICAR-National Research Centre on Meat, Chengicharla, (Hyderabad) showed 'remarkable' improvements in digestibility of buffaloes as palatability increased from 20% to 60%, he explained. Weight gain in the sheep was approximately 3.7 times higher and methane emissions from the animals also dropped. Following tests on sheep, goats and buffaloes, the treated biomass is being fed to cows as well, said Dr. Anand. Utilising the 'delignified' paddy straw in the animal diets offers a sustainable and economical alternative, reducing feed costs and promoting eco-friendly farming practices. Studies are also being carried out at P.V. Narsimha Rao Telangana Veterinary University, Rajendranagar (Hyderabad), to evaluate the effect of fortified fodder developed by CSIR-IICT on the milk yield and quality, said the principal scientist. Scientists are of the view that treated biomass could effectively deal with the growing need for a cost-effective animal fodder with enhanced nutritional efficiency with farmers as direct beneficiaries. The institute has also developed a Dry Anaerobic Digester with Unique Hydrodynamics (DAD-UH) Technology for the generation of CBG and FOM from rice straw and rice husk. A pilot plant, which is being operated on the institute campus for the past 18 months, has shown that about 100 kg and 140 kg of CBG could be generated from one tonne of rice husk and straw respectively, said scientist Sameena. Chief Scientist A.G. Rao said that as per the Centre's SATAT (Sustainable Alternative towards Affordable Transportation) programme, a minimum of two tonnes per day capacity CBG plant can be installed by an entrepreneur, and the gas generated could be supplied to nearby CNG bunks being operated by Oil Manufacturing Companies. These plants are remunerative with a simple payback period of four years with guaranteed CBG and FOM (Fermented Organic Manure) purchase from by the Centre, he said. The pilot plants and the process of reinventing crop residues was showcased during a recent farmers conclave held at the institute, where Telangana Agriculture Secretary M. Raghunandan Rao expressed concern over farmers burning crop residue. The government is proposing to set up agri-based industries using biomass and others, including CNG plants on land belonging to the Agriculture department, he said. Hailing the farm friendly products, CSIR-IICT Director D. Srinivasa Reddy said the institute, which had played a pioneering role in promoting pharma and allied industries, has also been working on developing eco-friendly technologies. 'Resources currently considered as 'waste' are being utilised as 'resources' for the generation of value-added products in addition to complimenting farmers' income,' he added.

Hindustan Times

5 days ago

• Hindustan Times

Waste mgmt the green way: CDRI turns kitchen, garden waste to compost

The ICAR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) in Jankipuram has committed to becoming a zero-waste campus by converting all its organic waste into compost. A newly installed bio-composting machine is now transforming kitchen and garden waste into nutrient-rich compost, marking a major push for eco-friendly solid waste management. The machine will be inaugurated on Wednesday along with a 1.2-MW solar power generation plant as part of World Environment Day celebrations by the institute. 'This innovative system processes organic waste from our canteen, hostel, and guest house kitchens by mixing it with horticultural waste such as leaves, grass, and shrubs,' said Radha Rangarajan, director of CDRI. 'It's not just waste disposal, it's resource regeneration.' The machine, with a daily processing capacity of 500 kg, produces high-quality compost within 24 to 48 hours. It features automated shredding, mixing, and continuous aeration while maintaining an optimal temperature of 60–70°C and moisture levels of 8–10%. This ensures efficient and odour-free decomposition with minimal energy consumption. Rangarajan added that the compost is used across the institute's gardens and other horticultural activities. 'The machine reduces waste volume by up to 80%, cuts down greenhouse gas emissions, and enriches the soil — directly supporting the work of our horticulture department.' Sanjeev Yadav, the institute's media coordinator, said that the kitchens preparing food for over 700 people generate significant amounts of organic waste. 'Additionally, the campus's vast green cover produces a large volume of garden waste. This machine helps us handle both responsibly,' he said. The campus also operates an effluent treatment plant (ETP) for laboratory waste and a sewage treatment plant (STP) for residential and office sewage. Treated water from these facilities is recycled to irrigate the campus's extensive plantations, further boosting its green footprint.