# Tags

India’s rice revolution begins: Scientists engineer varieties built for drought and efficiency

Agronomy Indian rice farming may soon enter a new era of productivity and sustainability. In a breakthrough that could redefine how the nation grows its staple crop, scientists from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) have unveiled advanced rice lines capable of delivering higher yields while consuming […]

Is India’s CRISPR feat with rice a costly proposition?

ICAR has developed genome-edited varieties of rice, but has used patented CRISPR technology that will entail huge costs. Latha Jishnu For an organisation whose glory days are long past, new technology has helped the Indian Council of Agriculture (ICAR) find a place in the sun once again. In early May, ICAR, a vast organisation that […]

ICAR to launch two genome edited rice varieties

The ICAR says development of such seeds is ‘first-ever such achievement’ in the country using cutting-edge genome editing technology. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has successfully developed two genome edited rice varieties, which will be formally announced in New Delhi on Sunday (May 4, 2025) by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The […]

India unveils ‘world’s first’ genome-edited rice

India unveils the world’s first genome-edited rice varieties—Kamala and Pusa DST Rice 1—promising 25–30% higher yields without foreign DNA. These non-GMO crops, exempt from GEAC approval, aim to boost production, cut emissions, and transform Indian agriculture. Written by Sandip Das Agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday unveiled two indigenously developed genome-edited rice varieties which […]

Shivraj Singh sets India’s rice target: reduce acreage by 5 million ha, raise production by 10 mt 

Minister releases world’s first genome edited rice varieties with higher yield, shorter duration. By Prabhudatta Mishra. India has set a target to reduce acreage under rice by 5 million hectares (mh) and raise the production from the reduced area by 10 million tonnes (mt) to expand the cultivation of oilseeds and pulses, two major areas […]