India's first genome-edited rice varieties, DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1, developed by ICAR

Concerning India's Initial Genome-Edited Rice Varieties:

Concerning DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala):

• It is a novel rice type created by ICAR-IIRR in Hyderabad.
• It is derived from the well-known Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204) variety.

Characteristics:

This new type produces 19% higher yields and reaches maturity approximately 20 days sooner, requiring just 130 days.

It features a robust stem that stops the plant from toppling, and it conserves a significant volume of irrigation water—approximately 7,500 million cubic meters.

It employs genome-editing to modify the CKX2 (Gn1a) gene, which aids in increasing the number of grains per plant. Due to its rapid growth, it also emits less methane into the atmosphere.

Concerning Pusa DST Rice 1:

This is yet another new rice variety created by ICAR-IARI in New Delhi, utilizing the MTU 1010 variety as its foundation.

This variety has been modified to enhance its resistance to drought and saline soils by focusing on the DST gene.

It functions more effectively in challenging soil environments and can produce up to 30.4% higher yields in these regions.

It lacks any foreign DNA and is genome-edited through the SDN1 method, which implies it is not subject to stringent GMO regulations