New Delhi, May 4 (HS): On Sunday, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched two varieties of India’s first genome-edited rice at an event held in Delhi. India has become the first country in the world to develop such varieties in this field.

The event was attended by scientists from ICAR and a large number of farmers. The minister also honored the scientists for their contributions.

These varieties, named DRR Rice 100 (Kamla) and Pusa DST Rice 1, have been developed using genome editing technology. They can increase production by up to 19 percent. In addition, a significant amount of irrigation water will be saved, and greenhouse gas emissions will also decrease.

The Kamla variety ripens early and does not fall due to its strong stems. Pusa DST Rice 1 yields well even in saline and alkaline soils. Both varieties are suitable for different states in India.

Shivraj Singh stated that this is a golden opportunity. He described it as a historic achievement in agricultural research under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He urged farmers to adopt modern technology and said that with the joint efforts of scientists and farmers, the country can be made a food basket.

The government has allocated ₹500 crores for genome editing research in Budget 2023-24. This step is a milestone in the direction of sustainable agriculture and food security.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar