Two genome-edited rice varieties have been created, would spark a second green revolution in the country

What does Genome Editing mean?

Genome editing describes a collection of technologies that allow researchers to accurately alter the DNA of an organism.

One highly advanced tool is CRISPR-Cas9 (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-associated protein 9), functioning as molecular scissors to splice particular segments of DNA.

It enables accurate adjustments or changes without adding foreign DNA, setting it apart from conventional genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

In India, the genome-editing methods SDN-1 and SDN-2 are allowed for general crops under biosafety regulations.

ICAR’s Rice Edited by Genome

ICAR has created the first genome-edited rice varieties in India – DRR Rice 100 (Kamla) and Pusa DST Rice 1.

In 2018, ICAR began genome-editing research aimed at enhancing two key rice varieties – Samba Mahsuri and MTU 1010 – through the National Agricultural Science Fund.

These new strains were created utilizing genome-editing technology founded on CRISPR-Cas. The result of this study is the two improved varieties that provide the subsequent advantages:

• A yield increase of 19%,
• A 20% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions,
• A conservation of 7,500 million cubic meters of irrigation water,
• Enhanced resilience to drought, salinity, and climate pressures.

Route to the Second Green Revolution

Increased Yields: Genome-edited crops provide greater yields, much like the way high-yield varieties enhanced food production in the initial Green Revolution.

Enhanced Climate Resilience: In contrast to previous Green Revolution crops, these varieties can withstand drought, salinity, and high temperatures. This renders them better adapted to current and upcoming climate situations.

Effective Resource Utilization: These innovative crops require less water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, addressing the excessive use of water and chemicals observed in the initial Green Revolution.

Reduced Chemical Dependence: Genome-edited crops, being more resilient to pests and diseases, decrease the necessity for pesticides and fertilizers, resulting in lower costs and less environmental damage.