ICAR Works on Genome-Edited 40 Crop Varieties

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research is working on genome-editing of about 40 crop varieties across 34 research institutes in India. The initiative covers field crops and horticultural crops, including pulses, wheat, banana, tomato, cotton, soybean and rice.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It coordinates agricultural research, education and extension through a network of national institutes, research centres and agricultural universities.

Genome Editing in Crops

Genome editing is a technique that makes targeted changes in a plant’s own DNA. The SDN-1 and SDN-2 categories are used for such edits, and these methods do not introduce foreign genes into the plant genome. The Department of Biotechnology issued Standard Operating Procedures in 2022 for the regulatory review of genome-edited plants under SDN-1 and SDN-2 categories. Transgene-free edited crops are exempted under this framework.

Genome-Edited Rice Varieties

ICAR has released two genome-edited rice varieties, DRR Dhan 100, also called Kamala, and Pusa DST Rice 1. These varieties are designed for higher yield, drought tolerance, lower irrigation requirement and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. DRR Dhan 100 and Pusa DST Rice 1 are linked with yield gains of up to 25 per cent and greenhouse gas reduction of about 20 per cent. Rice is a major staple crop in India and a key target for climate-resilient breeding.

Important Facts for Exams

• ICAR stands for Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
• SDN-1 and SDN-2 are genome-editing categories used for targeted changes in native DNA.
• DRR Dhan 100 and Pusa DST Rice 1 are India’s first genome-edited rice varieties released by ICAR.
• Plant OpenCRISPR-1 is an AI-designed genome-editing platform developed at ICAR-Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack.

AI-Designed Genome-Editing Platform

Researchers at the ICAR-Central Rice Research Institute in Cuttack developed and validated Plant OpenCRISPR-1, also called POC1. The platform is an AI-designed genome-editing tool that has been tested in plant cells.

Food Security and Climate-Resilient Farming

The project includes 24 field crops and 17 horticultural crops. The stated objective is to support food security by 2047 through improved varieties, higher yields and better soil health.