Gene-Edited Rice: Pusa DST Rice 1 and DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala)
Why in the news
Pusa DST Rice 1 heads for seed multiplication in the coming rabi season, and ICAR was due to ink an MoU with Corteva.
Key facts
- Announcement: 4 May 2025, by Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, as a world first.
- Seed stock: about 2 tonnes at IARI; trials in 2023 and 2024.
- Timeline: transplanting around November 2026.
The two varieties compared
| Feature | Pusa DST Rice 1 | DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | ICAR-IARI, New Delhi | ICAR-IIRR, Hyderabad |
| Editing tool | CRISPR-Cas9 (licensed to Corteva) | CRISPR-Cas12a (patent with MIT/Broad Institute) |
| Parent | MTU1010 | Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204) |
| Gene targeted | SDN-1 mutant of Drought and Salt Tolerance (DST) gene | Cytokinin oxidase gene Gn1a |
| Gain | Drought, salinity and alkalinity tolerance | Higher yield, earlier maturity, drought tolerance |
About genome editing
- CRISPR-Cas works like a molecular scalpel: precise DNA edits, no foreign genes added.
- Aim: breeding time cut from 8-10 years to 3-5.
Exam angle
- Parent of Pusa DST Rice 1: MTU1010; of Kamala: Samba Mahsuri.
- Cas9 versus Cas12a, and the DST versus Gn1a genes.
- Developers: IARI and IIRR under ICAR.